The Blackest Decision
by FightingTank
Summary: How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.

**AN: **So far I have finished 85% of Book 1, have a detailed outline for books 1-3 and a good idea of where the story is heading. The only place I am utterly lost is books 6-7 on how to get there. I hope that bit will come to me over time. I have no beta as I go back and reread these chapters weeks after I have finished them to ensure they make sense… at least to me anyways. I will update periodically. Heavy inspiration is drawn from Dexter, Star Trek, and Joss Whedon.

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 1 – Sirius' Worst Memory**

It was Halloween in Godric Hallows. All of the houses were decorated. Certain houses, were more so than others. The most flamboyant of all the houses decorated was situated on a cul-de-sac and could not be seen by any of the inhabitants of the village. The Potter family home had been in Godric Hallows for centuries. However, Wizarding homes naturally had a tendency to vanish; as it was the nature of most wizarding families to attempt to safe guard their secrets. So when the Potter family home vanished four months ago, no one really questioned why it had vanished. These were dark times.

With a loud pop, a man appeared in the center of the cul-de-sac and spun in place to gain his bearings. His eyes roamed the street rabidly, searching for something. His eyes rested on the empty plot of land that once held the Potter home and stopped moving. He even stopped breathing as his mouth slid open very slowly, a wild look of shock and fear mixed on the face of the man with dark features but extremely handsome face. His goatee was done fashionable and his hair was grown out into long wavy locks.

With a sudden roar of pain, the man feel to his knees as his eyes quickly began to have tears form in them. Rain began to gently fall as the man looked up, a look of defiance slowly growing on his face. _This could not be._

In his left hand, he clenched a polish piece of stick in his hand so tightly that his knuckles began to turn white. Slowly, the man rose back to his feet and began to stumble towards the empty plot of land as if he could see something everyone else in the village could not. Taking a deep breath, he crossed over the threshold of the Potter land, something that many inhabitants of the village would not have seen done in four months.

The Potter family home was beautifully decorated for Halloween. Three jack-o-lanterns lined the steps leading to the front door. The man didn't glance at them; but if he did, he would have noticed that one of them actually winked at him when he walked passed. The man didn't dare look up at the large gaping hole that had formed where the roof on the second story had once been and more than half and entire side of the house was missing. His undivided attention was on the front door that had been blown off of its hinges.

The man paused for a moment, his eyes closed as if he had made this journey many times in the past. Taking a deep breath, the man entered the house and let out a roar of pain and fright.

It was his worst fear come true. James Potter, his best friend in the world, was on his back spread eagle with his eyes wide open. Wide vacant eyes. Lifeless eyes. The man that had just entered let out a whimper as he dropped the stick he carried in his left hand and fell to his knees again.

"James! NO… James please… You can't… _WAKE UP_!" Sirius Black choked out, his voice taking a pitch he had never thought possible. He had come to the Potter home after checking by his friend's apartment, Peter Petigrew. When Peter had not shown up for an emergency Order of the Phoenix meeting, Sirius thought he could simply drop by to see if something was wrong with his long time friend. But at his friend's home their had been no sign of a struggle and Sirius naturally began to get worried. Peter was the secret keeper. When a Patronus from Albus Dumbledore found him, it warned him of an attack on Diagon Alley. He went straight to the Potters.

Sirius fell to his knees at his friend's side. Reaching down, he pulled his head into his chest. In silence, clutching his friend, and praying that this was just a cruel prank. Sirius felt his mind rush with thoughts of grief, paid, and revenge. "_This… this can't be. Wormtail wouldn't do this… could not do this. He's a friend! James can't be dead… James… Lily…. Must be playing a trick on me. Harry must be struggling in Lily's arm right now to give his Godfather a hug!"_ Sirius' quiet crying stopped suddenly as he whipped his head around, again searching for something not in clear sight. With a bark of a yell, he called out "HARRY!"

Rushing up the stairs two steps at a time, he pushed open the door to Harry's bedroom and felt the air get knocked out of his lungs and physically stumbled backwards until his back hit a wall. Lily was on the floor, her brilliant green eyes wide open and a soft look of fear forever etched into her beautiful face. Their were bits of wood that had struck into her and she was bleeding profusely onto the carpet. Slowly entering the room again, Sirius eyes scanned the bedroom. Again, he called out, "HARRY!"

Sirius began moving around the room erratically, using his bare hands to move debris from the gaping hole in the ceiling in a search for a year old baby. After pushing some debris to the side near where Harry's crib had been, Sirius found the small form of Harry Potter. Sirius felt his heart in his throat as he picked up his Godson and inspected him. Slowly, he ran a hand through the baby's black hair and placed his right hand on the boy's chest.

He was… asleep.

Sirius let out a sob of relief before he feel backwards, pulling Harry tightly to his chest as he landed roughly on some of the debris from the partially destroyed room. "It'll be alright Harry." Sirius felt the boy stir gently. "I'll figure out what happen… Why Peter did this…"

Slowly rising to his feet, he found a blanket and wrapped it around Harry. Sirius had to do a double take after looking at Harry's forehead. A lighting bolt scorch mark sat on the boys forehead. It wasn't bleeding, but it had a dark sickly black color. Sirius traced his finger along its outline, wondering what could have done something like that. "Voldemort…" He spoke the name softly and looked around quickly as if he had dared the Boogeyman to leap out and get him. After taking a few quick calming breaths, he slowly turned and began moving back downstairs.

Once down the stairs, he sought out his wand. Finding it near James, he picked it up while trying to not look at his friend's lifeless body. With another sob, Sirius walked out of the house he considered home.

With a loud swishing noise as air was displaced, Rubeus Hagrid popped into existence near the spot that Sirius himself had _Apparated_ to. Hagrid's gigantic form was unmistakable. Hagrid looked around, trying to see where the Potter family home was. He had been there before, but not since the _Fidelius _charm had been placed on it. He held onto a sock with both hands as he looked around.

"James! Lily! Everythen Okay?" Hagrid called out as he approached where the house should have been.

"No…" Sirius answered as he slowly walked out of the house and off of the Potter property.

Hagrid jumped at the sudden appearance of Sirus Black. "Sirius? Whattcha doin ere? My gracious, is tha Harry?" Hagrid moved closer to Sirius and took in his appearance now that he was closer. "Merlin's beard Sirius! Wha happen?"

Sirius turned to look back into the house, he could still see James still form burned into his mind. With a heavy sigh, fighting back the tears that's were still coming from his eyes he said, "They're dead. Lily…. And Jam…" Sirius scrunched up his face in confusion as he continued. "Jam… Jame… James." he finally was able to choke out the name.

"NO! But… Wha happen? Who did this?" Hagrid moved forward and took a look at little Harry, who looked asleep. Hagrid watched as Sirius opened his mouth to say something but couldn't as more sobs overcame him. Hagrid himself felt his tears beginning to form.

Sirius eyes shot up to the half-giant accusingly. "What are you doing here Hagrid? Who sent you?" Sirius slowly cradled Harry in one arm as he turned his body side ways and griped his wand tightly as he stared at Hagrid, slowly raising it so that his wand was level with the half-giant's massive chest.

Hagrid sobbed once before he mumbled, "Dumbledore. Said 'Go look at the Potters.' he did." Hagrid suddenly seemed to realize where he was and began looking around for potential threats. "There is a battle happening right now in Diagon Alley. Dumbledore and the res of the Order are there. Dumbledore told me go and check up on the Potters." Hagrid pulled out a handkerchief from his coat and began to dab his eyes to stop crying. "Said if anything was wrong that I should take little Harry straight to him."

Sirius narrowed his eyes at the half-giant, a look of mistrust still in his eyes. "But you were never told the secret of where they live."

Hagrid nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah. Dat be true." The half-giant let out another sob before he continued. "But one of the Death Eaters said something about he who must not be named heading to the Potters tonight." Here, Hagrid sent a quick glance to where he knew the house was before he continued. "Dumbledore himself would have came, but we think it was all of the Death Eaters he has attacking."

Sirius narrowed his eyes on the half-giant for a few more moments before he let out a soft sob and lowered his wand. "I'm sorry Hagrid… but… Peter is missing. I stopped by his place after the Order meeting and he wasn't there. I got worried so I thought I'd check on… on… On Harry and his parents for a bit." Sirius moved and sat down on the curb of the street; placing his back to the house. Sirius closed his eyes for a moment, as his thoughts returned to the smallest Marauder. "Peter was the secret-keeper Hagrid."

Hagrid whipped his head in Sirius direction as he moved to sit next to him on the curb. "Wha? Dumbledore didn't say anythen about tha!"

Sirius shook his head slowly. "No… I thought Peter would be less likely to be suspected of being the Secret-Keeper. I… I was worried I might be captured and I'd give out the information… I… I wanted to… protect…" Sirius broke out in crying again.

Hagrid didn't even hesitate to wrap Sirius into a gentle hug. "It'l be alright Sirius."

Sirius nodded. Using the back of his wand hand, he wiped away the tears in his eyes and stood up. "I need you to take Harry to Dumbledore. I'm going to go find Peter."

Hagrid looked at Sirius, their heights being the same when he sat on the curb. "Okay Sirius." Hagrid paused for a moment and glanced at the sock he was carrying. "Is it save for Arry to travel by Portkey?"

Sirius looked at the sock and shook his head. "I'll be right back." Sirius turned and walked back onto the Potter property, Hagrid could never quite place his eyes on the land himself. Minutes later Sirius popped back into view pushing his motorcycle. "I want you to take my bike."

Hagrid nodded his head slowly. Sirius pulled Harry into a tight hug, pushing some of the black hair the boy had grown that was so similar to… his father's hair. "I'll be back for you in a few hours Harry." With a thin smile on his face, he kissed Harry on the forehead before he handed him to Hagrid.

Hagrid took Harry and protectively held him. "I'll keep Arry safe Sirius."

Sirius nodded, as he held up his wand. "I know Hagrid. But I've got a rat to find." With a loud pop, Sirius vanished.

The sun had just risen in downtown London. Almost all of the people in England were still sleeping in as the Sunday sun began to raise higher into the sky. Steven Smith had woke up early today to head to church. It had felt like ages to the man since he had last gone. Putting on his best suit and combing his hair, he set out for the day.

Steven wasn't sure why, but he felt that the day was different. As if something that was bad was suddenly gone. There had been a rash of murders all across England that had the police baffled at what exactly was happening in the past few years. But these were dark thoughts that Steven didn't want to dwell on.

Steven watched as people still in Halloween costumes were still celebrating in the streets. A quite beautiful young woman, who was quite buxom, had pulled him into a wonderful kiss before continuing her celebration with the other people, of all ages, dressed in robes. All of them were excitedly chatting about someone who they couldn't name had died.

Such queer folk had lived in London in the past few decades.

It was only a few minutes later when Steven came upon a sight he had never even imagined. Two men had a semi circle formed around them as they slowly circled each other on the sidewalk. One had dark wavy hair and the other was beginning to already go bald.

The dark haired man had tears in his eyes when he looked at the balding one. "Why Peter? Why did you do it?"

The bald man, he looked pale. His voice even had a clear evidence of fear laced into his words. "He was going to kill me Padfoot!"

Steven moved to join the spectacle as the black haired man raised his wand higher, the balding one mirroring the move. "AS YOU SHOULD HAVE! IT WAS JAMES! HOW COULD YOU BETRAY JAMES!"

The balding man shook his head, tears forming in his eyes. "I'm not strong like you Sirius. I never was… I… I didn't know what he would do."

The black haired man shook his head. "HOW COULD YOU NOT?"

"I had overheard Snape asking the Dark Lord not to…" The balding one had an uncertain look in his eyes. "The Dark Lord sounded as if…"

"Dark Lord is it?" There were several heartbeats of silence as the two who appeared to be long time friend's eyed each other. As the dark haired one opened his mouth to say something, Steven felt like a football had hit in his right shoulder. There was sudden screams that punctured the air and beams of lights that weren't there before.

Slowly, Steven raised his left hand to hold onto his shoulder. But his shoulder wasn't gone. Turning to look down, he felt his stomach curl as he was missing his entire right shoulder and arm. Shaking his head, he began to feel dizzy as he looked up.

The two men were waving sticks around, causing things to shoot out of the tips of them. The bald one was blasting holes into people as the dark haired one tried to apparently save those.

Steven fell to his knees as he suddenly began to feel weak. He fell to his left side and watched the two as he heard screaming in the background. The balding man flicked his wrist and what sounded like an explosion penetrated his ears, leaving a loud ringing in them. The balding man waved his wand one last time and began to shrink dramatically. The man with black hair flicked his wand at the shrinking figure, but whatever he had flung missed the balding man barely. The last thing Steven heard was more than a dozen popping noises and a chorus yell of "_STUPEFY!"_


	2. Book1 Chap2 The Beginning of a New Era

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.

**AN: **I'll admit, I was surprised that I actually got reviews. Kind of made me want to post this faster. However, we have a whole lot of ground to cover before we get to the good stuff. A vast majority of it isn't even written in fact.

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 2 – The Beginning of a New Era**

Sirius opened his eyes slowly, looking up into the face of Frank Longbottom. Frank was offering an open hand. "Sorry about that Sirius. Didn't realize it was you. Who the bloody hell did this?"

Sirius grabbed a hold of his friend's hand and was pulled up onto his feet. His eyes were scanning the crowd. "Where is Peter?"

Several Aurors and other ministry officials were scattering around. There were moans of pain from those caught directly in the blast of the explosion and the continued screams of horrors from those that had just experienced what had just happen.

It looked as if a bomb had gone off in the center of the street, a small crater having formed around a center focal point. Wizards and witches were popping in from every direction, rushing to aide the muggles who were crying out for help.

Frank looked around slowly, unsure if he would ever be able to grasp what he was seeing around him. Only for a fleeting moment did he wish his own son was never born to live in such dark times.

"I haven't seen Peter." Frank turned to look back at his friend quickly, "Who were you two fighting?"

"I was dueling him, Frank." Sirius explained, staring at something in the distance for a moment, "He told _You-Know-Who _where the Potters were."

Sirius shook his head and took a seat on the curb, running his hands through his hair as he watched the Aurors begin to question muggles in the surrounding area. Many medi-witches were handing out calming droughts as if they were water to the surrounding muggles. Sirius took a deep breath and sighed.

Frank's expression darkened as he looked around at the bodies. Bending over when something caught his eye, he picked it up. It was a finger with a ring on it that Frank had seen quite often at Hogwarts. The Pettigrew family crest. Frank held onto the finger as he took a seat next to his friend. "Are they… are all three…" Frank couldn't feel the words forming in his mouth.

"It was just this morning that the rumor that _You-Know-Who _had been defeated. Was James the one to killed _You-Know-Who_?" Frank stared at the finger, wondering what type of curse Sirius had used to blow up one of the Marauders.

Sirius turned his head and looked at his friend. "No… He's dead." He hesitated for a moment and then added, "So is Lily."

"Then who killed _You-Know-Who_?" Frank watched as one of the Aurors questioned a Muggle man who was adamantly pointing in their direction, a darker look coming onto his face each moment with flashes of anger. Cornelius Fudge, Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes had approached the muggle as well and was listening intently to whatever the muggle was saying.

"Killed? _You-Know-Who _is dead?" Sirius asked as he finally realized what Frank had just said.

"That's the rumor. Started this morning in the ministry after that dance party we had with some of the Death Eaters last night in Diagon Alley." Frank watched as the Auror he had been watching, Kingsley if he could remember the name correctly, and Fudge began to discuss something in private. Kingsley was shaking his head while Fudge was pointing again, in his direction. Kingsley eventually threw up his hands in defeat, continuing to shake his head. They both turned and began to approach Frank, with Kingsley falling in behind Fudge.

Kingsley had a sad and uncertain look in his eyes while Fudge was actually licking his lips in anticipation, as if he had just found a prize that would happily be worth the taking.

Fudge stood in front of Frank and Sirius with his arms crossed, a look of calculating triumph on his face. Kinglsey fell in beside the Junior Minister and was looking anywhere except at Sirius Black.

It was Fudge who broke the uncomfortable silence. "Sirius Black, I am bringing you in under questioning of the murder of a wizard, the murder of at least half a dozen muggles, and under suspicion of you being a Death Eater."

Albus Dumbledore looked at the house in Godric's Hallow that belonged to the Potters. It was not a pretty sight. Apparently, as the sun had risen, half the second story had collapsed.

Walking briskly, his blue eyes took in the front door. When he found James, he felt tears begin to fall from his eyes. Looking around, for any indicator of what happen to one of the more talented individuals he had met in the past century he didn't even see James' wand near him. He felt himself frowning as he looked at the ceiling of the first floor, where he knew Harry's room was and where the house was now collapsing.

Moving quickly, he went up the stairs two steps at a time.

Lily's body was just inside of Harry's room. As was… a dark gathering of robes. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at this. Raising his wand, he scanned it for anything potentially harmful with a few taps of his wand. Pushing some of the cloth out of the way, he gasped when he found it.

Tom Riddle's wand.

Snatching it quickly, he turned on the spot and headed across the street. He hesitated only for a moment to glance at his once family home next to the Potters land before he marched up to the house of one of his very own former professors. Reaching up to knock on the door, he couldn't help but smile as Bathilda Bagshot opened the door almost as soon as his knuckle was about to graze the surface of the wood. "Hello Bathilda. Might I come in for a spot of morning tea?"

Bathilda was on old woman who was only beginning to resemble an old wrinkly tomato. She had a bright red crimson robe on with pink fluffy bunny sandals. "I'm sorry I didn't contact you faster Albus…" She lowered her head as she made room for her old student in the doorway. "It was _You-Know-Who _himself. But Harry is safe. I saw Sirius Black carry him out of the house and hand him to Hagrid."

Sirius couldn't help it, but he laughed. He laughed like he hadn't since his time at Hogwarts with the other Marauders. _I must be having a horrible dream_.

Frank, Fudge, and Kingsley all glanced at each other feeling uncomfortable with Sirius maniacal laughing.

"Sirius, come on mate. You need to tell them what happen." Frank reached out and put an arm around Sirius shoulders. In a whisper he added, "Keep it together."

Fudge looked between the two men, analyzing the situation before reaching a conclusion. "Auror Kingsley, I want you to arrest Sirius Black." He turned his head expectantly at the tall dark skinned Auror.

Kingsley rubbed the back of his head slowly before taking a deep breath and looking at Sirius Black, while occasionally glancing at Frank Longbottom. "Sirius, sir, I'm sorry but I have to follow Junior Minister Cornelius Fudge's order." Raising his hand he pointed his thumb over his shoulder at the muggle he had been speaking with, who was currently having a memory charm placed on him by Ministry Obliviators. "That man said that he saw you, not only attack the innocent muggles, but also murder a man who was clearly described as a wizard."

Sirius began to hold his sides from laughing so hard.

Fudge uncrossed his arms, his face turning red suddenly. "THIS IS SERIOUS, BLACK!"

Sirius whipped his head up to look into Cornelius eyes. "THAT'S MY NAME! DON'T WEAR IT OUT!" Sirius then burst out into more laughter, falling to his side.

Frank looked at the finger in his hand. It was a clean cut that severed the finger, only something that could happen from a cutting curse. Not an explosion. Frank looked up at Cornelius Fudge. "Sir, Sirius admitted that it was Peter Pettigrew who he was dueling."

Frank held up the finger, still with the ring attached, to the junior minister.

Dumbledore sat down at the kitchen table he hadn't seen since he was just a teenager himself. He traced a finger along the wood, remembering some of his fondest memories of his youth.

"I… I'm sorry I didn't do anything Albus."

Dumbledore nodded and looked up into the eyes of Bathilda. "It's quite alright. It was Tom in the flesh." He couldn't help but smile when Bathilda didn't flinch at the mention of Voldemort's real name. "But where is Hagrid? I gave him a Portkey to use."

Bathilda shrugged as she poured Dumbledore and herself some tea. "Last I saw of him, he was getting on that blasted muggle contraption that the young Mr. Black owns. Such racket. I've complained to Lily about it several…" She paused and glanced at Dumbledore. She let out a soft sniff before sitting down. "I… I could have done something Albus… I do not believe I will ever forgive myself."

Dumbledore reached out and placed a comforting hand on her arm. "It's quite alright Bathilda. We will all have regrets about the decisions we have made leading up to this. Just remember, that it was more mine than anyone else's." Dumbledore reached down and picked up his tea cup. "Cheers!" He took a quick sip, feeling the warmth of it spread throughout his body.

Bathilda nodded before she copied Dumbledore and took a sip of her own cup of tea. "Mr. Black _Disapperated_ after handing Harry to Hagrid. Hagrid then hopped onto that stupid bike and took off on it. I'm not sure where he was heading, but I'm betting it is to where ever you told him to go."

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, traveling that way would take some time…"

"So is it true? Is he really gone?"

Dumbledore lowered his cup of tea, giving Bathilda a curious gaze. "What do you mean?"

Bathilda nodded towards her radio before saying, "They've been going on all morning about how Voldemort is really gone… That he was killed."

Dumbledore let out a long heavy sigh. Reaching into his robes, he pulled out the wand he had grown so familiar with seeing pointed at people he held dear to him. Bathilda let out a loud gasp as she saw it, her old eyes showing life that Dumbledore couldn't remember seeing since he had lived only next door.

"It seems that news travels so fast now. Even before it is even true people know it." Dumbledore let out a small chuckle before he placed the wand back into his robes.

"There were Death Eaters that showed up after Hagrid left." Bathilda took another sip of her tea. "It was the Lestranges."

Dumbledore nodded slowly, taking in this information. "They never did like wearing those masks that Tom so happily handed out."

A sudden tapping on the window drew both of their attentions. An owl stood at the large windows facing the street taping on the glass gently.

Bathilda approached her front door and opened it. The ebony owl flew in and landed next to Dumbledore's tea, holding out its left leg. Dumbledore reached out quickly and took the offered parchment. The owl flew back out of the door before Dumbledore even opened the scroll.

"Well?" Bathilda closed the door and reclaimed her seat, watching Dumbledore intently.

"It appears that Sirius Black has been arrested under suspicion of murdering Peter Pettigrew."

**AN: **That is right folks. Frank Longbottom. I figure that, even in J.K. Rowling's books the Longbottoms did not have the extent of the protection that the Potters had. So I included Frank Longbottom out and about.


	3. Book1 Chap3 The Boy Who Lived

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.

**AN: **I've recently gotten a new job. I now find myself happily juggling work, summer school, and a social life. As such, I believe I'm going to get into a habit of posting new chapters only at once a week.

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 3 – The Boy Who Lived**

Sirius Black sat in a dark room and held his sides. His laughing had stopped and was replaced with crying. Rolling into the fetal position on the floor on his side, he continued to weep.

Frank Longbottom watched on with sadness.

"Well, this seems to be an open and shut case." Bartemius Crouch said as he overlooked the paper work in front of him.

Frank shook his head slowly. "This doesn't feel right. Sirius said that Peter betrayed the Potters."

Crouch looked up suddenly. "What was that? Longbottom, repeat that."

Frank sighed and leaned against the wall, looking at his mentally broken friend on the floor. "Just before Mr. Fudge came with Auror Shacklebolt to arrest Sirius, he was saying that he wasn't their secret keeper." He paused to lick his lips, suddenly feeling very nervous and his mouth being very dry all of a sudden. "He said it was Peter Pettigrew. He said that someone attacked the Potters and killed them. Harry was left… alive though."

Crouch looked at Fudge and Shacklebolt. "Did you two hear this."

Kingsley shook his head and put his back against a wall and slid down it until he was sitting on the floor. Fudge had a pained look of shock on his face before he said, "No. I heard nothing of the sort. Only what the muggles had said about the altercation between Mr. Black and Mr. Pettigrew."

Crouch reached over and held out the paperwork, expecting someone to take it as he looked down at Sirius. "The evidence is very clear." Crouch's personal assistant, Pious Thinknesse, stepped forward and took the documents. Crouch took a deep breath, and in what seemed to be a well rehearsed speech began, "I, Bartemius Crouch, having a sound mind and with my mental capabilities as my own, do hereby declare that Sirius Black is to be sentenced to Azkaban for the murders of Peter Pettigrew, of twelve muggles, for giving information to_ You Know Who_, and for suspicious Death Eater activity. Sentence length is for no longer than four consecutive life sentences."

One of the court scribes that followed behind Crouch was hastily writing down everything that was being said.

Frank looked at the scene, a look of bewilderment on his face. "Wait… WAIT! Sirius said he was dueling Peter since _Peter _was the one who _betrayed _the Potters. He said that Peter was _their _Secret-Keeper. He said he hunted Peter down in an attempt to bring him to justice!"

Crouch rolled his eyes and shook a finger. "No, no, no. Let the record show that Sirius Black…"

Before Crouch could finish, he was interrupted by a new voice. "Let the record show that Sirius Black deserves a fair trial." Everyone turned to see Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster to Hogwarts and the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot walk into the room.

Crouch glared at the Headmaster. "I am in every right to condemn Death Eaters to a sentence in Azkaban Prison. Under article 82 of _The Protection Decrees_ _of 1978_ I am in the right to condemn Death Eaters to life sentences in Azkaban without trial."

Dumbledore gave Crouch an analytical look with his twinkling blue eyes, "As much as I fought against those laws being passed then, as I continue to do so now, I will point out that Sirius Black is not a Death Eater." Dumbledore moved past the assemble of Ministry officials and kneeled next to Sirius Black. "Sirius… Can you understand me?"

"Dumbledore, you don't have the power to overturn sentences by the Head of Magical Law Enforcement during times of war." Crouch's usually perfectly maintained appearance was beginning to crack. His face was starting to turn red from anger at the only man _You Know Who _ever feared and the only man to thwart his own attempts in carrying out the justice that needed to be executed to win this war was again trying to usurp his position.

Dumbledore turned his head to Crouch, a soft smile on his face with his blue eyes twinkling as if they were on fire. "Aw, as true as that is… we are not at war anymore." Dumbledore turned back to look at Sirius before he added, "Not right now at least."

"WE ARE AT WAR DUMBLEDORE! _YOU KNOW WHO_ IS STILL OUT THERE!" Crouch was screaming at the top of his lungs. He pointed an accusing finger at the empty doorway. Several Aurors and other Ministry officials were looking into the cell just past the door way though, all of them wanting to see the confirmation that Sirius Black was a murderer.

With a small smile on his face, Dumbledore stood back up and started reaching into his robes. "Not anymore Auror Crouch. Let the record show that the Potter residence was attacked by Voldemort near midnight on October 31. What followed is merely speculation, but both of the Potters were murdered by Voldemort himself.." Murmuring broke out from the half dozen or so people in the room and from the viewers from the hallway. Frank put his face in his hands and began to gentle rub his face, as if he was trying to work something out in his head. "Interestingly Harry Potter, the Potters only son, survives."

Fudge took off his bowler hat and began to nervously twirl it in his hands. "Alive? But Voldemort was there… Surely the man would see the deed done if…"

"Actually… I am most curious about that myself. Ah! Here it is!" Dumbledore pulled out a wand that many people had seen over the past few years killing or hurting those closest to them.

Crouch looked at the wand in bewilderment and said, "Impossible!"

Frank peeked between his fingers at what was removed and shuddered. The rest of the room let out collective gasps and the voyeurs from the hallway began to push each other to get a better view.

"So… so it's true. _He Who Must Not Be Named _is dead?" asked Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Dead… maybe… but very doubtful." Dumbledore held out his own wand and waved it over Voldemort's. Everyone in the room let out another shocked gasp as a smoky form of Voldemort came out of the tip of the wand and as did the form of a small, apparently a crying baby in a crib. Many of the observers from the hallway let out a howl of fright and ran away from the scene.

Voldemort moved his lips but not sound came out. Suddenly, with a flick of his wand Voldemort issued a curse at the baby. The spell hit the baby on the forehead and automatically, the child stopped moving. However, the spell that hit the baby ricocheted off of him and hit Voldemort in the chest. The smoky visage of Voldemort crumbled in on itself and vanished. The smoke in the room slowly disappeared after that.

Silence followed.

Dumbledore stared at the wand intently, lost in thought. The rest of the occupants in the room looked on, unsure of what to say or do as murmuring broke out in the hallway again.

"It… it was the killing curse?" Everyone in the room turned to look at Sirius Black. His hair hung around his face, giving a dark shadow to his face as he sat on the floor.

"Yes… I believe it was Sirius." Dumbledore said as he stared at the wand, still analyzing it.

"Has anyone ever… survived a killing curse before?" asked Kingsley.

Frank Longbottom shook his head slowly before he said, "No. No one ever has."

"Even if Black didn't murder the Potters, it doesn't change the fact of what he did to Pettigrew or those Muggles… or for telling _You-Know-Who_ their secret." Crouch had recovered and had his arms crossed, glaring at Dumbledore with a hateful look. He was daring Dumbledore to argue with him.

"It is most curious. I thought Sirius was their Secret-Keeper…" A look of realization crossed Dumbledore's features and he whipped his head to look at Sirius. "When did you change their minds Sirius?"

"Right before they set up the charm… I thought Peter was a… better choice. I was afraid I'd be caught and I'd be forced to give up the information. I didn't think that Peter…"

"It's quite alright Sirius." Dumbledore quickly pocketed Voldemort's wand and his own. Stretching his wand arm down, he offered Sirius an open hand. "I did not think of the hand writing when I read the piece of paper when I was informed of where the Potters were. Peter betrayed us all Sirius," Dumbledore let out a long sigh. "But it will be alright for now."

Frank felt the tears begin to form in his eyes. With a hollow voice he asked, "Where is Harry now?"

"He is with Hagrid." Dumbledore said.

"We.. We need to tell the public!" Everyone in the room turned to look at Fudge. "People need to be made aware that _He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named_ is gone… that we were all rescued by the… by the… by the… by the _Boy Who Lived!_"

Sirius accepted Dumbledore's hand and the older wizard, displaying strength Sirius did not think the old man could do, helped him up to his feet. Murmuring broke out in the hallway which quickly turned into cheers for the _Boy Who Lived_. Dumbledore watched as Fudge and a majority of the people in the room began to openly hug each other in joy as if they had just received the best news they had ever heard. Fudge quickly moved into the crowd to Rita Skeeter, a journalist for the _Daily _Prophet, her _Quick Quotes Quill_ moving rapidly across parchment as she had watched the entire ordeal play out. Fudge began ranting off bits of information that everyone had seen, but was giving a response from a high ranking member of the Ministry that was credible.

"What happens now Dumbledore?" Sirius asked as he looked at Dumbledore as the noise began to rise.

"We have a meeting to attend." Dumbledore placed a hand on Sirius shoulder and offered him a sad smile.

With that last bit of words, Sirius and Dumbledore turned and walked out of the interrogation room. Frank Longbottom fell into stride behind the two of them as Shacklebolt quickly stuffed Sirius wand into Frank's hand. Crouch was trying to yell over the joyous celebration of the news of Voldemort's apparent demise, trying to maintain order and hold Sirius for questioning.

"Sirius Black is under arrest! Someone, stop that man!" Crouch roared. The people though, were too busy celebrating. His own staff were even joining in, hugging anyone they could grab as they all celebrated the end of the war.

"This isn't over, Black." Crouch whispered, shaking his head in disgust.

Sirius was led into the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, the Shrieking Shack, by Frank. The location was a perfect one as it wasn't far from Hogsmeade, a location many of the members wouldn't be questioned being at, and was a place no one traveled to due to the rumors surrounding it. Sirius however, felt his heart break even more as he could look anywhere to see scenes from his years at Hogwarts with his three best friends.

Dumbledore said something about going to meet with Hagrid before the meeting. Sirius closed his eyes in anguish and lost track of time as he became lost in thoughts of a better time. It wasn't until he heard Moody banging on the table that he was snapped out of his somberness.

"In war, victory! In peace, vigilance! In death, sacrifice!" Alastor Moody slammed his fist into the table top that the entire Order of the Phoenix was gathered around with each of his points. "We can't back off of the Death Eaters now! They are still out there! They are probably more dangerous now than with Voldemort leading them. He might have been a monster, but he put muzzles on those Death Pricks and we could at least predict what he had plans on. We aren't out of these dark times yet, and you are foolish to suggest it Fabian! This war isn't over."

Dumbledore stood up from his seat and said, "We can not break apart at the seams now my friends." Dumbledore had his eyes make contact with every Order member in attendance tonight, "Alastor is quite correct, I'm afraid. We are not yet out of this dark tunnel; but we have a good sight on the end. The remnants of the Death Eaters will scatter and hide themselves."

"Now more than ever, we have to be vigilant. We have to have constant vigilance!" Moody feel back into his chair as he glared at Fabian Prewett with both of his dark brown beady eyes.

"But.. How can we figure out who was a Death Eater or simply under the Imperious Curse?" Frank Longbottom asked, glancing at Moody.

Alice Longbottom shook her head and as she looked at her husband sitting next to her. "Worrying about Death Eater's isn't why we are here tonight." She turned to look at Dumbledore. "What about Harry? What happens to him now? Is that not why we are here?"

Everyone turned and looked silently at the Headmaster of Hogwarts. With a long sigh, suddenly making Dumbledore grow several years as if he had made a difficult decision as he retook his seat. He reached out and took a glass of butterbeer in front of him and took a drink. Laying the mug back down and folding his hands in front of him, be began. "I believe that it would be best to leave Harry with his aunt." Murmuring at this announcement began immediately. "Harry is currently at a safe location with Rubeus Hagrid. I had a conversation with him before the meeting."

Remus Lupin looked through his fingers, his hands had been hiding his face throughout the entire meeting. "That is not what James or Lily wanted." he said, his eyes staring accusingly at the Headmaster.

Dumbledore nodded his head slowly. "No, it was not what they wanted. But… events have unfolded that have led me to believe that Lily sacrificed herself for Harry's safety." Murmuring broke out again. "Voldemort killed Lily and when he moved onto kill Harry, his spell rebounded and killed him… Or as close as being killed as he can get."

"So it is true then? Harry Potter is the _Boy Who Lived?_" asked Mundungus Fletcher.

A simple nod from Dumbledore caused everyone to begin murmuring quietly to the person sitting next to them. Frank and Alice kept glancing at Sirius who was, at one time, one of the most vocal members of the Order during these meetings but was now sitting quietly as if he had lost his will to speak.

Dumbledore raised his hands up to quiet the murmuring. He continued once everyone was quiet. "I believe, and as I am usually quite correct in these matters, that a blood bond has formed between Harry and his mother's blood. Lily's older sister, Petunia Dursley, will offer a protection none of us could even fathom. Blood magic is very powerful, crude, but powerful. Harry will have a safe childhood with Petunia and her husband."

Remus shook his head again. "No, Petunia hates magic. She will not treat Harry with the love and affection that he deserves. James wouldn't want that."

Dumbledore looked at Remus with his piercing blue eyes, the twinkle having began to lose it's sparkle. "I understand that Remus… But this bond offers more protection than the Fidelius Charm could ever offer."

"But it isn't what James wanted…" Everyone snapped their heads to look at Sirius. Sirius took in a deep breath before he sat up in his seat and glared at Dumbledore. "James said that if anything should ever happen to him, that it should be me who took care of Harry. I am his godfather and it is my responsibility to raise his son."

Everyone turned to look back at Dumbledore. "As true as this is Sirius, you can't protect Harry like the blood bond can."

"I can and I will!" Sirius roared out. "James was my brother in all but blood and it is what both him and Lily wanted."

"Sirius, please. Listen to me." Dumbledore said quiestly. "Harry is in perhaps more danger now than he was last night."

"I seriously doubt that Albus. He was in more trouble last night when he had that monsters wand pointed in his face!"

Dumbledore let out a small sigh before he spoke. "Sirius, I'm sorry about what happen. I… I feel just as responsible as you do, but for Merlin's sake Sirius… Think of Harry's protection."

"HE'S ALL I HAVE LEFT OF JAMES!" Sirius shot up out of his seat, his chair clanging against the floor. "OUT OF EVERYONE, HE WAS ALWAYS THERE. IT WAS ALWAYS JAMES AT MY SIDE! HE IS GONE NOW AND ALL I HAVE IS HIS SON!"

Remus Lupin placed a hand on Sirius shoulder. Sirius pulled away as if he was burned by his friend's touch. Taking a few deep breaths, Sirius seemed to deflate a bit. Closing his eyes and shaking his head slowly, he said, "I… I'm sorry Remus… But… It was James. That bloody bastard killed him. Like he was nothing. James didn't even look like he could put up a fight." His voice began to get steadily quieter as he spoke. "Lily's sister hated her. She didn't even show up for their wedding." Opening his eyes, staring at Dumbledore, tears silently fell from his eyes onto the table in steady drips. "I will not ever allow that vile woman to touch my godson."

Everyone sat in silence, looking back and fourther from Sirius to Dumbledore. Finally Dumbledore fell back into his chair, slumping into it. "What would you have me do Sirius?"

"Take me to my godson."

**AN: **I stole a bit of Moody's speech from Dragon Age. Great game to play if you ever get the chance. This chapter also marks the last day of November 1st. I'll be advancing the timeline a bit so that we can get a glimpse of Harry growing up in the next chapter. Hope you kids enjoyed this one! Dialogue at the Order meeting was actually quite fun to write. I really thought about expanding it more, but I think I did an Order meeting justice with Dumbledore leading and people trying to argue with the old man.


	4. Book1 Chap4 That Which Gnaws Inside

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.

**AN: **Free time has been sparse for me this past month. Ironically, now that school has begun again I actually have more free time than I did this summer. This chapter was done a long time ago, but I wasn't happy with how it turned out. I've edited it drastically since my original conception of it took shape.

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 3 – That which gnaws from inside**

=September 4, 1988=

Harry Potter, now an eight year old boy, sat watching the other children on the playground. He was slowly swaying in the wind as the other boys and girls ran around laughing, with huge smiles on their faces as they laughed gleefully. Harry adjusted his glasses as he sat silently, trying to understand these… children. He had never felt much like running around like they did. Their smiles were… infectious amongst each other. Harry found it all to be rather… disturbing. They had no reason to run around and smile the way they did. _It wasn't natural_. It wasn't even as if anything exciting was happening… but yet, these kids were bursting with energy. Harry knew why he was here though; Sirius was worried about him.

Harry could remember nothing of his parents. He had never even seen a photograph of them. Harry once tried to imagine what they looked like, but felt it was outside of his grasp. They were just more… smiling faces that he couldn't understand.

Harry so dearly wished he could be back at home, in his bedroom: With his books. Knowledge was the only thing that made sense to him, learning was what drove him. Everything else just felt wrong…

Sirius stood near the other parents watching the children. While a good many of the kids were younger than Harry at the playground, he had hopped that his Godson could partake in their fun.

Harry never smiled.

Not since before Halloween those many years ago. Sirius bit into the side of his cheek to fight back the feelings that still woke him in the night. That was in the past now. He held obligations to Harry now. For James.

But something was wrong with Harry.

He never smiled.

He never laughed.

He never… seemed to love anything.

Sirius ran a hand through his hair as he watched Harry stare at the laughing children. Ever so slowly, his Godson turned his head slightly to the side as if he was trying to understand them.

Harry let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. _Children are stupid_. Harry tore his gaze from the laughing children to realize that Sirius was staring at him again, that same concerned look on his face. Pushing himself off of the swing, he made his way to his Godfather.

"Having a fun time Harry?" Sirius grew a large smile on his face as Harry approached. Harry was used to this smile. The warmth his Godfather tried to give off was fairly plain in everything except his eyes. Sirius eyes gave away too much. He was sad.

"No… Can we go home?" Harry watched as his godfathers eyes flickered between his own before the older man let out a heavy sigh and nodded. Without a word passing between the two, Sirius placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and steered them towards the exit to the park.

They walked in silence for several minutes as they journeyed back to his Godfather's family home, number 12 Grimmauld Place. It was a house that Sirius inherited from his family. He had avoided it at first, but it offered the greatest protection that he could offer to Harry.

It was their home.

Sirius hated the house though. He had made sure to get rid of Kreacher the day he moved into the home. He made sure to block off the entire side of the main hallway, forever quieting that cursed painting of his mother. He had to do it himself. The image of his mother went from cursing Sirius in every imaginative way that the figment of her could. When Sirius was nearly done it even began to plead with him, begging for mercy from her eldest son. Begging to not be trapped in the darkness that was overtaking her frame. He finished the job though. A small part of him even found it satisfying to finally shut his mother up.

Sirius cast a quick glance at Harry in their silence. "I've been meaning to ask you something Harry. I… I must admit I wasn't sure how to approach you with this."

Harry glanced up at his Godfather, to show that he was listening, as they continued to walk home.

Sirius continued, "I found something in the backyard…"

Harry stopped walking so suddenly, that Sirius had taken three steps before he realized it. Turning to face his Godson, he wasn't surprised by how the boy's face turned very pale and his eyes grew large. It was as if he had just gotten quite a particular nasty Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

"In the… backyard?" Harry spoke the words softly, but Sirius found it startling that this was the first time he had ever heard the boy speak with any true emotion in his voice.

Sirius nodded. Glancing around quickly, he turned and knelt beside his Godson. "I want you to be honest with me Harry. When did you start killing little animals?"

"I… I…. Just… Just recently." Harry looked down at his shoes, finding the shoe laces amazingly interesting at the moment.

Sirius placed a hand under Harry's chin and gentle applied pressure until Harry looked at him with Lily's eyes. "Have… have you ever thought about killing anyone Harry?"

Harry looked into his Godfather's eyes and mumbled, "I… I guess. Yes…"

Sirius let out a whimper and fell backwards. Bringing his hands to his face, he rubbed his temples gently. Harry turned and looked down both sides of the street. A few of the curious neighbors sent glances at them, but they all kept their distance. Many of the house mothers on the street made sure to make it clear to there children that the Harry boy was no one they should associate with.

Harry nervously began to shift his weight between his two feet. "I didn't want to though… I didn't think you would like it Sirius."

Sirius looked at his Godson. "I… Harry… I…" closing his eyes, he let out a long sigh. Pushing himself off of the ground, he stood and brushed off any dirt his pants might have collected. Placing a hand on his Godson's shoulder as if the conversation never occurred, he began steering them back home. "I want you to be honest with me from now on Harry. I want you to tell me if you don't understand something. If you ever have any questions that you are afraid to ask; ask me. I love you Harry and would never do anything to hurt you. You are my family."

"I can talk to snakes." Harry blurted out. "They… they find me… whisper things…" he looked up at his Godfather who continued to look forward. A stern look was on the older man's face now. "They tell me their secrets. I… urr… I can't find in any of my books talking about able to speak with snakes. I have looked everywhere in our weekly trips to the library about it. None of the books mention anything."

Sirius shook his head sadly. "No, those books wouldn't… Listen Harry. I've been keeping a secret from you. I can't reveal that secret to you quite yet… but I promise you that when you turn eleven I will tell you."

"Does this have something to do with the Black family? The garden snakes tell me things about how great the family once was, before your mother died."

Sirius let out a soft chuckle. "Talk about me, do they?" he didn't bother waiting for an answer. "I expect your snake friend's would say something like that."

"Why do the other children smile Sirius? I can't figure it out."

"They smile because they are happy. They smile because they are experiencing a feeling and they want to share it with the world."

"I… I don't feel that…" Harry looked back down at his shoes like he had done something wrong again. "I fee like something is gnawing at me in the inside. Wanting me to do things that I don't want to do sometimes."

Sirius placed both his hands on Harry's shoulders. "Harry. There are people in this world that will try to manipulate you into what they want you to be… Some times you have to pretend to be happy… I do it quite often myself…"

Harry looked up at his Godfather, feeling like he was seeing him for the first time. His godfather continued, "James wouldn't want to see you end up in Azkaban, Harry."

"What's Azkaban?"

"Ask me when you are eleven Harry… Now I want you to pick up a book every time you feel these… urges of yours coming. Also, tell me so that we can work through it together."

Harry nodded as Sirius led them both into the house.

"Lesson number one Harry is rather simple. Don't get caught."

Several hours later, Sirius uncorked a bottle of brandy and poured himself a glass. With only a slight moment of hesitation, he popped the drink into his mouth and drank it in one swallow. He closed his eyes as he felt the comforting burn spread to the tips of his fingers and toes. Sirius looked at a still photo of James and Lily at their wedding. Smiling softly, he took the photo and took a seat on one of the couches in the dining room.

"I'm sorry I didn't raise Harry right James… If you were here I'm sure you would have known the right thing to say to Harry. I promise you this though, I won't let him get into trouble. I'll die protecting him from everyone… even if its from himself. I'll teach him Occlumancy… I'll make sure that he is prepared to face the challenges that he has to face. He will be ready for whatever the world throws at him. I swear I'll keep the boy out of Azkaban."

Tears slowly began to form in Sirius eyes.

"Something is wrong with Harry. Something got into him… But I'll make sure he can live a life. It might not have been the life you imagined James, but it'll be one. I think he is going to hurt people James… Just I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happen to Harry."


	5. Book1 Chap5 You're A Wizard

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.

**AN: **I thought I'd post this along with the other chapter since I'm so far behind in my chapter a week uploading… Might as well do a bit of catch up. I originally imagined pacing this story for seven books. No telling how long that would take and even if it would be finished. I might cause several fast forwards in the early books to get to the stuff I have planned later in the series, where I believe the most excitement occurs. The earlier years will not be as dark drastically. It does not do well to have kids that aren't even teenagers running around and handling adult situations.

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 5 – You're a Wizard**

Harry Potter stood in front of his bathroom mirror and studied his appearance. Pulling on his round glasses, he smiled just as Sirius had shown him to. It had taken a good bit of work, but he was now able to smile on cue. He practiced everyday, just as Sirius had suggested. He studied his eyes, trying to make the effect of the smile travel there. It was something that Sirius admitted he wasn't even able to do… which bothered Harry. Sirius always seemed so knowledgably when it came to his problems of fitting in and never judged him when he asked questions that most kids his age took for granted. Harry ran a finger along the lightning bolt scar on his forehead…

"Harry, come on down and open up your presents!" came Sirius voice from down stairs.

With a soft sigh, he walked calmly over to his dresser and grabbed a t-shirt. Pulling it on he took another calming breath, just as Sirius had taught him, before he ran down the stairs. Sirius had said to show excitement on day's like these.

Harry burst into the kitchen with a large smile plastered on his face. With the false cheeriness Sirius had shown him the actors used on the television, he said excitedly. "Oh, thank you Sirius. You didn't have to!" Humbleness was a quality he needed to show to people. Made them think better of him Sirius had taught him.

Sirius stood at the stove, pieces of bacon crackling gently on the burner. "About time Harry. It's not everyday you turn eleven."

Harry nodded as he went into the refrigerator searching for the orange juice. Sirius smiled as he shot Harry a sideways look. "I see the lessons are finally taking root."

Harry's smile feel as if the game had ended. "Yes. I still think smiling so much is hurting my cheeks."

Sirius chuckled softly. "You are still forcing it too much. Just… do what feels natural. It will become easier the more you do it."

Harry nodded. Taking a deep breath and clearing his mind, Harry turned back to face Sirius with a large smile on his face. "So can I open my presents now?"

"Not yet Harry." Sirius transferred the bacon onto a plate and set it on the table. Taking a seat at the table, he glanced at the open kitchen window.

He knew it wouldn't be long.

Placing the bacon down as Harry took his seat, they began enjoying their breakfast. Sirius wasn't the best cook, but Harry would never complain about the eggs, bacon, and toast Sirius prepared for them. Food was another thing that never bothered Harry. That list had grown quite numerous over the years.

Sirius took a sip from his orange juice as he glanced at the clock. It was about to turn nine o'clock in the morning. "Harry. Do you remember how I told you I hadn't been fully truthful with you three years ago?"

Harry nodded his head once at his Godfather, his entire attention on Sirius. His Godfather chuckled, "You don't forget very much Harry. The mental exercises are paying off then… Well. It's time for me to tell you what I wished I did not have to… But this is inevitable I'm afraid. Dumbledore would have wanted this to happen differently but…" Sirius took a deep breath. "You're a wizard Harry."

Harry studied the piece of toast on his plate, taking in it's burnt edges and how the jelly was scrapped too thin on the bread. "A… a wizard?"

Sirius nodded, taking another sip from his orange juice before he continued. "Your parents were as well. I… I am also." Sirius set his mug down. "Almost ten years ago the worst wizard in centuries, his name is Voldemort, began trying to take over the magical world. He was resisted by people like your parents and myself. In the end his entire force became centered on one thing: you."

Harry looked away from his toast to take in Sirius features. His Godfather looked red in the face as a mixture of anger and sorrow crept onto his face as he spoke.

"Your parents wanted me to take part in a magical spell that would help them stay hidden… I…. I was afraid that I'd be a too well known target. So, we chose a friend who was less important and less gifted than myself: Peter Pettigrew. A friend of ours from Hogwarts; the magical school you will be attending soon."

"On Halloween, in 1981, Peter betrayed your parents and told Voldemort where your parents were hiding. Your mother, Lily, sacrificed herself to protect you." Sirius pointed at the scar on Harry's forehead. "That scar is a mark of that attempt. He used a curse that should have killed you. What followed was a period of celebration in the Wizarding world. It was decided that I would be your guardian, as your parents wanted. On that day I… I gave up my magic and stole you away from that world. You would have grown up as a celebrity in the wizarding world." Sirius stopped speaking and stared at his Godson, looking for a response.

"Sirius, if this is your attempt of a practical joke it isn't funny." Harry said. "Magic is something that exists solely in fairy tales."

Sirius barked out a chuckle and shook his head. "No, I am telling you the truth. The reason you couldn't find information about speaking to snakes is because you weren't looking into the right books Harry. Speaking to snakes is a wizard trait."

"Why wait until now to tell me?"

"You will be receiving your Hogwarts letter today. You will be expected to attend. We will be going to Diagon Alley, a wizard market place in London, to purchase everything you will need for your first year at Hogwarts."

Harry stared at his toast. "You told me my parents died in a traffic accident."

"I… I'm sorry about that Harry. It was agreed that it was important to raise you as a normal kid."

"Is the curse Voldemort used why I am different?" Harry asked.

Sirius shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. There are smarter wizards than myself who could tell you the answer to that… but I think it may have something to do with it."

Almost as if on cue, a large tawny owl flew into the kitchen through the open window. It landed on the top of the orange juice carton and held out a leg to Harry. Harry tilted his head sideways, looking into the owl's large black eyes. It hooted softly and scooted closer to Harry; holding out its leg urging for Harry to take something attached to it's leg.

Harry looked at the parchment on the leg. At once, he reached forward and took it. Opening it slowly, he felt a dull thrill he had never experienced before that made his blood quicken as he read the letter. He passed each piece of paper to Sirius once he had read it. "You… You aren't lying Sirius… But then you are always serious."

Sirius chuckled. "Yes, Harry. My name is Sirius."

"Take me to Diagon Alley."

An hour later, Sirius had a hand on Harry's shoulder as he steered his Godson to a place he had not visited in years. "I can't stress this enough Harry: I don't know the response we will receive in Diagon Alley if we are recognized. It has been years since I've been here. I haven't even been receiving news of our world since I started to raise you."

"Why did you stop using magic, Sirius?" Harry asked curiously.

"It… Your father was a brother to me. Seeing him like that… He… I just couldn't do it anymore." Sirius chuckled softly again. "I'm little better than what wizard's call squibs: a person from a magical family who can't do magic. I'm sure if I needed to I could… Just it doesn't feel right after what happen with your parents."

"Do wizards usually separate people like that, Sirius? Into muggles and non-muggles?"

"Yes Harry, they do. You would be what is called a 'half-blood'. Your father was a 'pure-blood' which meant both of his parents were wizards. Your mother was 'muggle-born'. Muggles are what wizards call non-wizarding folk who aren't related to wizards." said Sirius.

"Why do people pay so much attention about where you parent's came from? Wouldn't it be better to judge people according to the characteristics they displayed?"

Sirius ran a hand through Harry's wild and unkempt hair. It was just like James… "The 'pure blooded' wizards run a vast majority of the society and put stock into such old traditions. They are little more than reason's for one group to claim superiority over another."

Harry nodded in understanding.

"Aw, we are here! May I present, to you Harry Potter, the Leaky Cauldron!" Sirius threw his hands up into the air as they stood in front of an old run down pub, with sure enough, a sign saying the name of the establishment softly waving in the soft breeze. Harry sent Sirius a questioning look. It was hardly a noticeable building, and many of the people on the street sent Sirius curious glances as they rushed into the establishments on either side of the pub totally ignoring the place.

"This place is a dump." Harry stated.

Sirius nodded, a large smile growing on his face. "Yes, that is the point. Muggles wouldn't pay it any attention. It also has spells on it to ward off muggles. I doubt anyone else on this street even has realized that there is a pub on this street"

"How do you use spells to specify who can see what?" Harry turned his gaze between the sign and the regular citizens of London going about their business.

Sirius brought a hand up and scratched his chin in thoughtfully. "Hmm… I've never thought about that before. I'm not sure really. Transfiguration was really my 'thing'. But I know where we are going in either case. We will go to Gringotts first. It's the wizarding bank ran by the goblins." Sirius moved forward with that announcement and pulled open the door for Harry to enter the pub.

Harry entered the building and at once, realized everything was not what it seemed. The place could be described as dark a grimy. It was the way that people dressed that threw Harry for a loop. People were dressed in long robes and other odd sorts of clothing that were far outdated from what he had seen on the magazine racks at the grocery stores. Sirius followed behind Harry and sent him a knowing smile at the expression of curiosity on Harry's face. A few people glanced in their direction, especially a group of young witches sitting in a corner of the bar nursing some rather large mugs that seemed to make them blush with each drink as they looked at Sirius.

Sirius steered Harry through the establishment and into the back. When they approached a brick wall, Sirius stopped and stared at it.

"Is something wrong Sirius?"

Sirius smiled as he shook his head. "No… It's just been long time since I… Since I've stepped into this world. Things are tame in the Leaky Cauldron though. Diagon Alley will be bursting with activity and things you could have only imagined will be here." Pulling out a stick from a pant pocket, Sirius taped three bricks in sequence against the wall. The bricks themselves began to peel away, opening up to an archway that led to Diagon Alley.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley" Sirius smirked, "and the wizarding world!"

Walking forward, Harry took in the sights and sounds of Diagon Alley. Wizards and witches of every age were walking every which way and into every store. Sirius placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, directing him where to go. Harry paid little attention to where they were heading and began absorbing this newfound world. Sirius began to point to different locations as they walked.

"That is Florish and Blotts, we'll buy your books from their. There is Ollivander's Wand Shop… And over there is…" Sirius began as Harry allowed his mind to drift away from what his Godfather was saying and listened to the people on the streets.

One gentlemen came out of a cauldron shop complaining that "…these blasted things aren't thick enough anymore! I can't make a Pepperup potion from any of these blasted cauldrons!"

Harry also noticed a group of children near his age who had their hands and noses pressed against the glass of a broom shop ogling the apparently brand new 'Nimbus Two Thousand'. Some of them broke out in laughter as they nudged each other with their elbows. Harry couldn't help it but roll his eyes at the smiling children.

_I never will get away from them._

Harry took in each of the names of the locations until they came upon a snowy-white building that easily towered over the other shops on the street.

Two creatures, Harry assumed to be goblins, stood in front of the bank carrying large spears. They glared and snarled at any wizard or witch that approached the bank. Harry sent them both curious looks as Sirius led him up a set of white stairs to the open double bronze doors to the bank. A small chamber led to another set of double doors, these silver. Once inside, Harry counted clearly more than one hundred goblins at desks working on different types of paper work and different instruments all dealing with measuring wealth. Be it coin, gem, or possession the goblins seemed to only have one thing on their minds: money. Some goblins would led wizards or witches to various tunnels and they wouldn't return from what Harry saw. Sirius took in a deep breath and drew himself to his full height as they walked briskly to one of the desks furthest in the back.

A goblin, who paid no attention to them, continued doing its work. "State your business." it said eventually.

"Lord Black and Lord Potter are here to make withdrawals." Sirius stated calmly.

The goblin, however, stopped its paperwork and stuck it's head up over it's desk taking in their appearances. "Lord Black and Lord Potter you say? Hmm… Do you have your keys?" Sirius nodded and reached into coat pocket and presented two keys for the goblin to take. Grabbing the keys, the goblin brought them up to his nose and sniffed them. "Hmm… so it seems. Gornuk! Take these wizards to their vaults!"

Harry and Sirius were led by Gornuk through one of the tunnels to a kart. As soon as Gornuk had opened the cart door, Sirius got into the kart without making a glance at the goblin and Harry followed suit. Gornuk got into the kart after them. "We will be going to the Potter vault first since it is closer." The goblin stated simply and they were off.

Harry watched for the patterns in the way they traveled, but after the twentieth turn he had lost track of where they were. Left, left, right, left, and it went on with directions changing in no apparent logical reason. As soon as the trip began though, the kart came to a screeching halt.

Gornuk hopped out of the kart and came to a vault marked 'Vault 687'. Gornuk inserted the key and turned it. The passage way holding the kart filled with a green mist momentarily that smelt like burnt paper. Once it cleared though, Harry saw more stacks of gold coins, mounds of silver coins, and random piles of bronze coins than he ever thought possible.

Sirius got up out of the kart and entered the vault. Picking up one of each of the three types of coins, he held them out to Harry. "The gold ones are called Galleons. Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty nine bronze Knuts to a Sickle." Sirius tossed the coins back into their piles and wiped his hands together afterwards.

"It's simple enough if you enjoy formulas that don't make very much sense." Sirius said. He then hopped back into the kart. "Any way we can get this ol' kart of yours to go faster Gornuk?" Sirius shot Harry a large smile. It took Harry a moment to realize it was a joke and that he was supposed to laugh. Harry chuckled softly, just like his Godfather did often, just as he had been shown to.

"One speed only." Gornuk responded dryly as he got back in. Again, they were off.

They went much deeper this time. Harry felt the air grow steadily chiller as they went on. Again, they came to a sudden stop. Sirius and Gornuk got out of the kart together.

"Stand back, sir." The goblin said as it eyed Sirius as if he was a threat. Sirius simply rolled his eyes as he held out one of the keys he presented earlier to the goblin.

Gornuk took the key and pressed it into a large key hole that such a small key shouldn't work for. Twisting it, a loud 'thud' sound echoed throughout the tunnel for a moment. Sirius smiled at Harry as he mouthed 'trap'. Gornuk then slid a finger along the door. As soon as Gornuk's finger left its surface, the door slowly simmered out of existence. Sirius at once strolled into the room which held much larger piles of money than the first vault. Harry looked up at it's marking and read 'Vault 711'. Sirius pulled out a pouch that had been tied around his beck. Taking a couple of handful of the gold coins, he dropped them into the small pouch. More than should have fit.

Smiling, he got back into the kart.

"Harry, never touch any of these vault doors. If you do, chances are they will find your body ten years later." Sirius stated.

It was a quick trip back to the main room of Gringotts.

"Your uniform is next… but Harry, this will be the first time you'll be going anywhere where I'm not too far away. I want you to go and get your own set of robes." Sirius said as they walked briskly through the room. "You'll be spending nine months out of a year at Hogwarts."

Harry nodded as he looked at a blond hair boy and an older woman walk out of one of the tunnels with a goblin following behind them from the opposite side of the bank.

"Do you remember where I pointed out Madam Malkins Robes for All Occasions?" Sirius asked as they walked out of the bank.

"I do… Where will you be?" Harry asked as he stared straight ahead.

Sirius placed a hand on Harry's head and ruffled his hair. "I'll be… picking up some newspapers from the Daily Prophet. Wizard newspaper. I… I need to know what's been happening these past few years." Sirius stopped and reached into the pouch around his neck. He fished a hand in and pulled out a few Galleons. "This is more than enough to pay for your robes Harry. I want you to wait for me there. Understand?"

Harry nodded and they went their separate directions.

It didn't take Harry long to find the store as it was one of the ones that they passed on their way to Gringotts. Harry entered the robe store, a bell attached to the door ringing as he pushed it open.

"Ah! A new student for Hogwarts I see!" A squat woman dressed in flamboyant colors, that Harry assumed to be in fashion for this world, came around a counter. "I am Madam Malkin and I'll happily help make you a set of proper set of clothes. None of that tight fitting muggle clothing at Hogwarts!"

Harry looked down at his blue jeans and t-shirt that he was wearing.

Before Harry knew what happen, he was standing on a stool in front of a mirror with large robes being slung over his body as Madam Malkin began to stick pins into them to hold certain parts in place.

The bell to the front door rang suddenly and Madam Malkin was off greeting a new customer. Harry looked at himself in the mirror and let out a heavy sigh. He looked like a pin cushion in black velvet.

Another stool was suddenly pulled up beside Harry and the blond boy that had been in the bank earlier was standing next to Harry. Madam Malkin at once went to work on both of them. She obviously could multi-task as she had no problem hopping back and fourth between the two of them. The blond boy looked at Harry through one of the mirrors.

"Hello," said the boy. "First year at Hogwarts?"

Harry looked into the boy's grey eyes. "Yes. I just received my acceptance letter today."

The boy smirked, very similar to Sirius, "My mother is off buying my books right now. She had wanted to wait for father to do all of this shopping but I would have none of that. It's time for me to start standing on my own." the boy said with an air of confidence around him. "I'm going to make her take me to look at racing brooms after we buy my wand." The boy's smirk grew into a wide grin. "I think I'll bully father into letting me get one and find a way to smuggle it into the school."

Harry sighed. He hated talking to kids. Soon they would begin laughing and smiling like idiots.

"Do you own a broom?" The boy asked as Madam Malkins pulled a set of robes off of Harry and replaced it with another.

"No." Harry stated.

The boy nodded and asked, "Play any Quidditch?"

Harry shook his head. _Quidditch sounds like a vegetable. _Harry thought.

"I play all the time." The boy said confidently. "Father says it's a crime if I'm not playing for Slytherin by the end of the first semester. Know what house you'll be in?"

Harry shrugged. He felt like an idiot next to this kid. Sirius wasn't kidding when he said this was a totally different world. Harry didn't like the fact that he wasn't as educated as the other boy.

"I'll be in Slytherin for sure." said the boy confidently. "My whole family has been in Slytherin, for decades actually. If I got sorted into Hufflepuff I think I'd just get up and leave. Wouldn't you?"

Again Harry shrugged. A lesson Sirius had taught him. "_It's good to agree with people who are talking. Makes them think you have similar views and they will be more likely to trust you."_

"By Merlin's beard! Look at that man!" the boy pointed at one of the mirrors they were facing as a giant of a man walked past the windows.

Harry chuckled, like Sirius showed him and said, "They grow them big here, don't they?"

The boy shook his head. "No… I think that was someone who is a servant at Hogwarts. He is supposed to be the gamekeeper and he's some kind of savage from what father tells me."

The bell to the store rang again. Madam Malkin moved to greet a woman who was tall, slim, and quite pale. Pale just like the boy next to Harry. She had a look in her eyes though that was quite similar to Sirius' eyes.

"Draco, are you done yet? Since you won't stop whining about it, we might as well get your wand today as well."

The boy next to Harry shrugged. "You know that the best robe makers are in France. This woman is taking her time with these." Draco flopped his arms up and down like a bird twice to show that the robes didn't fit him yet.

The woman turned her head to look at Madam Malkin and suddenly her quite nice looking face changed to as if she had smelt something quite disgusting. "Yes… I see why. Hurry, won't you? I don't like waiting." she said.

Madam Malkin nodded and rushed back to the boys.

"Oh, whose this Draco? A new friend of yours?" said the boy's mother as she eyed Harry.

"I…" began Draco. "I just met him. He is a first year as well."

"Really?" The woman stared through the mirrors into Harry's eyes. "I… I think I recognize you… What's your name?"

Before Harry could open his mouth to speak, the bell above the door rang again. "Narcissa!" It was Sirius. "It has been too long! You don't owl and you never fire-call anymore!"

Sirius reached out and pulled the boy's mother into a big hug before she could even do anything. Sirius had a huge grin and a mischievous look in his eyes as he rested a head on the woman's shoulder.

"Sirius Black! How dare you touch me like that!" Narcissa began to push against Sirius, trying to get out of Harry's Godfather's reach. Harry took a moment before he chuckled.

Draco glared at Harry and Sirius. "Who is that man touching my mother?" the boy asked angrily.

Harry turned and looked into Draco's grey eyes. "He's my godfather."

Draco's eyes searched Harry's. "Sirius Black… Godfather…" Draco's gaze shot up to Harry's forehead. "You're Harry Potter!"


	6. Book1 Chap6 The First Lesson

Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.**

**AN: **I've recently gotten a new job. I now find myself happily juggling work, summer school, and a social life. As such, I believe I'm going to get into a habit of posting new chapters only at once a week.

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 6 – **The First Lesson

Harry nodded. "Yes. That is my name."

Narcissa turned to glare at Sirius and stare at Harry. "So it is true… Where have you been hiding Sirius?"

Sirius chuckled. "Aw, now now Narcissa. I can't go revealing my secrets. Even to family."

"Family?" asked Draco, who now openly stared at Sirius.

Narcissa nodded. "Yes Draco… Sirius Black is my cousin… He is a blood traitor and has been disowned by the family."

Sirius smiled and wrapped his arms around Narcissa again. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, since I am now Lord Black I think I'll re-own myself. Let me tell you Draco, I know some stories about your mother when she was at Hogwarts. One time her and the Hufflepuff prefect…" Before Sirius could finish his sentence, Narcissa slammed a heel of her shoes into Sirius toes. Sirius began hopping on one foot, holding his hurt one up in pain.

"Come Draco, we're leaving."

Draco tossed off the robes that weren't quite done and left the robe store abruptly with his mother.

Thirty minutes later, Harry and Sirius walked down Diagon Alley towards Flourish and Blotts. "So, what's Quidditch?" asked Harry.

"Wizarding sport. Brooms, couple of balls, and some hoops. Similar to football or basketball. Rules are kinda difficult to explain if you aren't seeing it played." said Sirius.

"And those people in the store were you family?"

"Yes…" began Sirius, looking uncomfortable suddenly. "Narcissa is my cousin and I guess the boy, Draco, is my nephew. I hadn't really seen or spoken to Narcissa in years… We broke contact before you were even born. She and her husband are part of the pure blood elitists I mentioned earlier."

Harry nodded. "And what's a _Hufflepuff _and a _Slytherin_?"

Sirius laughed. "There are four houses at Hogwarts. Hufflepuff and Slytherin are two of them. Other two are Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. I got you a book as a birthday present that covered all of that actually. Hufflepuff usually is considered the weakest house. But I'll say this: if you become friend's with one they are quite loyal and will always come to your aide. Slytherin is… more or less the house that produces the most wizards or witches that go bad."

"Like Voldemort?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah. Voldemort went to Hogwarts actually. Long time ago… Shame you missed my mother talking about how handsome he was back then, she swore he was the best thing that ever happen for our kind since Butterbeer. Me and your parents were in Gryffindor."

Harry nodded as they entered Flourish and Blotts. It was almost an hour later that Harry made Sirius buy him a slew of books, more than Sirius had intended to buy. Some of the books Harry wanted, Sirius had already purchased for him as birthday gifts.

"Right, so we need a wand and a pet for you." said Sirius.

"A pet? They allow us to keep animals at Hogwarts?" asked Harry.

Sirius nodded. "Yep. Owl, cat, or frog. Frogs have been out of style for ages though. Cat's make decent familiars but they can be temperamental. An owl is what you want Harry. Dreadfully useful. They deliver the mail for us, as you saw this morning." Sirius turned and looked at an old, shabby shop with 'Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 B.C.' A stick sat in a display window.

Harry pointed to the stick. "That is a wand I suppose?"

Sirius smiled and nodded as he led Harry into the building. A bell rang somewhere in the back of the building to announce their entrance. There were rows upon rows of narrow boxes stacked to the ceiling. Most of them were covered with thick layers of dust. Harry felt the impression that he was in some type of library from the smell of the place.

"Good morning." said a soft raspy voice. Harry raised an eyebrow at the old man that seemed to just appear at the front counter. Sirius had a huge smile on his face and moved towards the man.

"Ollivander! How have you been you old snot?" Sirius moved quickly behind the counter and gave the man a hug, just not as tight as he had with Narcissa.

"Sirius Black! Oh my, this is a nice surprise. Expected, but still a nice surprise. Cherry, nine and a quarter inches, griffin feather. Nice for wand work wasn't it?" asked the old man.

Sirius smile dimmed a bit as he let go and stepped back. "Yes… that it was."

The old man looked past Sirius into Harry's eyes. "Ah. This must be Harry Potter. I have been looking forward to meeting you." he said, "You have your mother's eyes. It seems like it was only yesterday that she was here for her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."

Ollivander moved passed Sirius, quickly approaching Harry. The man's misty silvery eyes never leaving Harry's green eyes.

"Your father preferred a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Flexible. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration." Ollivander smiled. "Of course it's really the wand that chooses the wizard."

The old man was now in front of Harry. He bent over so that their noses were almost touching.

"And that's where…" Ollivander reached out a hand and brushed some of Harry's hair away from his forehead, looking at his lightning bolt shaped scar. Ollivander ran a finger along the scar gently. Harry felt something and took a step back quickly.

Ollivander straighten himself and had a frown on his face. "I'm sorry to say that I sold the wand that did that." he said softly. "Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand. Very powerful… in the wrong hands of course. If I had only known what that wand was going out into the world to do…" His voice became distant and he looked past Harry, as if he was lost in thought.

Sirius coughed.

Ollivander shook his head and smiled again as he said. "Sorry. Old men have a tendency to look upon their past and to think 'What if?'" Sirius leaned against the front counter, winking at Harry as he did so. "Which arm is your wand arm?" asked Ollivander as he pulled out a tape measure with silver markings.

Harry glanced down at his hands before he held up his right hand.

"Very good. Hold out your arm now so that I may measure it. That's it." He began to measure Harry from shoulder to fingers, wrist to elbow, shoulder to foot, knee to armpit, and around his head. As he measured, he said, "Every wand has a magical core in which it draws its power. They vary, but traditionally they come from either unicorn hairs or dragon heartstrings. Occasionally special wands are made, as in the case of Mr. Black's. No two wands are the same, just as no two creature of any kind is the same. Of course, you will never get good results from another wizards wand unless it chooses you." Harry suddenly realized that Ollivander was now searching in his rows of wand cases. The measuring tape was moving at it's own free will now. It was currently measuring the length of Harry's finger nails.

"Lets try this!" announced Ollivander. He held out a case with a wand in it. "Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just grasp it and give it a wave."

As soon as Harry grasped the wand and began to raise it, Ollivander snatched it from Harry's grasp "Most definitely not." he stated.

And so Ollivander's search began. Harry would grasp a wand or occasionally give a soft flick, but nothing felt right. Ollivander grew a larger smile on his face with each attempt as if it was a personal challenge for himself to find the right wand.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry Mr. Potter. We'll find you the perfect match in my store somewhere. Hmm… I wonder… Yes… Why not? Unusual combination…" Ollivander held an open case with a wand in front of Harry again. "holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Harry suddenly felt his heartbeat quicken. A chill ran down his spine as he grasped the wand. Raising it above his head, he gave it a casual flick. Sirius suddenly let out a large yelp as a ball of water shot out of the tip of the wand and hit him square in the face. Ollivander cried oh, "Oh, bravo! Bravo! Yes indeed Mr. Potter. We've found a wand that has chosen you! Well, well, well… most curious… most curious indeed…" Ollivander again looked past Harry as the man became lost in thought again.

Sirius glared mockingly at Harry, the soft smile on his Godfather's face making the humor he held for what just happen evident. Ollivander snatched the wand from Harry's hand and put it back into its case. "Most curious…" said the wand maker.

"Curious, sir?" asked Harry.

Ollivander looked back into Harry's eyes for a moment, almost as if he realized Harry was still there. His eyes flickered to Harry's scar. "I remember every wand I've ever sold." began Ollivander, "Every single wand, Mr. Potter. It just so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another. Just one other. It is very curious indeed that you are to destined for this wand when it's brother…" Ollivander licked his lips quickly. "Why, it's brother gave you that scar."

"You mean Voldemort?" asked Harry curiously. He tore his gaze from Ollivander's face and stared at the wand.

"You speak his name?" asked Ollivander with dread in his voice. The old man sent a look at Sirius, who was now looking pale and very wet. "Most curious indeed… Yes, Mr. Potter. Yew. Thirteen and a half inches. The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Potter. I know we can expect great things from you Mr. Potter… After all, _He Who Must Not Be Named_ did great things. Terrible! But great… Curious indeed how these things happen…"

They left Ollivander's shortly after Sirius paid for the wand. Harry carried it now, staring at it. It seemed that a small crowd had formed outside of the store and there was quiet murmuring as people began to point at Harry and Sirius.

All at once, a man broke through the crowd toward them. Sirius placed a hand on Harry's chest and stepped in front of his Godson.

"It is Harry Potter! I can see the scar!" said the man as he tried to look past Sirius at Harry. Murmuring within the crowd broke out suddenly. "Harry Potter he said?" said one witch.

Suddenly, Sirius and Harry were overwhelmed with people. Wizards would grasp Harry's hands, with tears in their eyes saying things like, "Thank you Mr. Potter. Welcome back, Welcome back indeed!" While witches would pull him into hugs. Children would smile and look at him in awe.

Harry didn't like this attention.

Almost as soon as the crowd had surrounded him, Sirius grasped Harry's hand and pulled him from the crowd. The crowd at once followed them just as quickly.

Sirius glared at the crowd. "Sorry this had to happen Harry."

Harry turned his head to look at the growing crowd of people. It seemed like people were pouring out of the stores with the announcement of Harry Potter was in Diagon Alley, just to get a glimpse of him. There were flashes of light bulbs going off now. "Why are they following us, Sirius?"

"I told you we're famous Harry. Now hold on tight… I haven't tried this in a long time. We shouldn't splinch ourselves… But what's life without some risks?" Sirius had a huge grin on his face as he pulled out his wand.

Just as the crowd was about to descend on them again, Sirius grasped Harry's shoulder tightly and all at once Harry felt like he was being sucked through a tube. Diagon Alley vanished from view and at once he was standing near their home. Harry fell to his knees and felt his stomach spew out his breakfast.

Sirius let go of Harry at once and took a few steps backwards, patting himself all over. "Yep… All here." he turned his gaze to Harry. "Sorry about that Harry. We just _Apparated_. It's a form of travel where wizards will pop from one place to another instantly."

Harry wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Is it always that uncomfortable?"

Sirius shook his head. "Nope. I puked my first time as well… Cept mother thought it was shameful and _Apparated _me all around London until I stopped… I forget how much I hated that woman sometimes…"

Harry sat at the kitchen table looking at the white owl Sirius had purchased days ago for him through mail order. It had been a week now since Harry's birthday and Harry had absorbed the books his Godfather had gotten him. Most of the books Harry would need for school Sirius had bought ahead of time, but the ones Harry picked out really peaked his interest.

_Hogwarts, A History_ was filled with all the information Harry thought he would needed about the school and it sounded just too magical to be true. Harry found it odd to find his name in _Modern Magical History_. _Curses and Counter-Curses_ was the book that Harry found himself reading over and over though. Most of the books covered magical theory but not application though. Sirius had taken Harry's wand from him almost as soon as they had arrived home.

Sirius now waved his wand around to do everything. "I… I had lost it Harry! For ten years I could barely even get a spark to come out of this blasted thing… But ever since I wanted to protect you from the crowd of gawkers, I found myself able to do everything I used to do! Watch this!" He would often say to Harry before he would cast some spell. Often it was to Apparate around the house at his own glee.

The day after his birthday, an owl would always arrive when Harry and Sirius would have breakfast. _The Daily Prophet_ was interesting to read, with it's moving pictures and stories that seemed too outrageous to be true. Apparently their was a stirring of debate about cauldron thickness that was becoming a hot topic. Harry and Sirius were on the cover of the newspaper the day after Harry's birthday. The photo was taken just as Harry and Sirius werewalking out of Ollivanders.

Harry looked through _Hogwarts, A History_ trying to find a name for his owl. With a sigh he casually pointed to a name near the beginning of the book. "Hmm… Hedwig. I think I will call you Hedwig… Lets see… Says here the first Hedwig was a witch who was the first witch to _Apparate_…" Harry glanced at his white owl. "So, Hegwig. It's a pleasure to meet you officially." Hegwig hooted in response. Harry reached out and unhooked her cage. At once, she flew out and found herself a place to stand on top of one of the kitchen counters.

Almost the same instant that Hedwig became comfortable that Sirius walked into the kitchen from the back porch, a stern look on his face. He was carrying two knives… two very familiar knife with dried blood…

"Sirius, I can explain."

"Harry, I thought we had talked about this. Come to me when you have these urges so that we can work through them together. I thought we had an understanding." Sirius didn't look mad, just disappointed.

"I…I… I'm sorry Sirius. I only kill animals. I swear Sirius."

"Are you sure? Are you telling me the truth Harry?" Sirius laid the knives down in front of Harry.

"Yes!" Harry tried going through the calming exercises that Sirius had taught him years ago.

"I thought we had this under control…" With a flick of his wand, the two knives turned into two blocks of wood. Harry stared at the blocks of wood in interest…

Sirius took a seat next to Harry as he asked, "You don't remember anything from the night your parents were murdered?"

"No… well… Just a flash of green light…" Harry looked up into Sirius eyes. "Is that why I have these urges? Why I'm different from other kids?"

"I… I think whatever happen that night changed something inside of you Harry. Something… something got into you too early. I'm afraid this… urge of yours… this urge to kill will only get stronger as you grow older."

"So I'll be like this forever?" Harry turned to look at the blocks of wood.

"You're a good kid, Harry." Harry looked up and gave his godfather a disbelieving look. "You are Harry. If you weren't, it would have been worse than animals." Sirius reached out and placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. "We can't stop this… but maybe we can channel it."

Harry looked up into his godfather's eyes. They had a gleam in them he had never noticed before.

Sirius continued, "We can use it for good, Harry."

Harry shook his head. "No, I'll never be good."

Sirius took his hand off of Harry's shoulder and looked out the window. A bird was chirping outside quietly. "Harry…" Sirius spoke in a soft voice. "There are people in this world who do very bad things. Terrible people… And the Aurors can't catch or find them all." Sirius turned back to look into Harry's eyes. "Do you understand what I am saying?"

Harry nodded his head slowly. Almost as soft as Sirius spoke, Harry said, "You are saying that some people deserve to die."

"That's right Harry… Of course you'll need to know how to spot them… How to cover your tracks." Sirius paused for a moment, "I can teach you."

Harry felt uncomfortable, a chill running down his spine. "Sirius… I don't…"

"It's okay Harry. You can't help what happen to you. But we can make the best of it. Remember this for the rest of your life Harry. You are my godson. I love you and you aren't alone."

Sirius paused for a moment. He picked up one of the blocks of wood. "Lesson number one… Don't get caught."


	7. Book1 Chap7 The Weightless Trunk

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.

**AN: **I really wanted to put this chapter up on September 1st… Sadly I didn't as I wanted to give it a good proof read before I posted it. I hope everyone had a wicked Labor Day if you live state side.

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 7 – The Weightless Trunk**

The last three weeks until Harry was going to leave for Hogwarts went by faster than he thought it could. Sirius had began to teach him Occlumany. It was the skill in which you stop other spell casters from gaining access to your mind. It was a skill that Sirius had been teaching him since he was eight and Harry felt fairly comfortable emptying his mind every night before bed, it was just natural for Harry to keep his mind protected now. Harry was surprised that the routines Sirius made him do when he was younger were actually already teaching him magic. Harry would spend his free time with his nose in his new books, trying to learn as much as possible about this new world.

Harry awoke at seven in the morning on September 1. He quickly got up and got ready for his last day at Grimmauld Place until the winter holidays. Harry looked between his muggle clothes and his wizard robes. With a sigh, he decided to pack them both for his stay.

Taking the stairs down two at a time, he rushed into the kitchen to find Sirius already standing fixing them breakfast. "Morning Harry."

"Good morning Sirius." Harry reached into the refrigerator and pulled out the orange juice. It was their daily ritual. It was beginning to bother Harry how his godfather always knew when Harry was coming down the stairs. Sirius always had the bacon just finishing every time Harry burst into the room.

"Couldn't sleep, could you Harry?" Sirius smiled as he set the plate of bacon on the table and took his seat.

"No… I'm actually excited Sirius! I don't think I've ever been so excited to go somewhere before!" Harry smiled, for the first time not feeling like he was truly forcing it.

Sirius nodded. They ate their breakfast with Sirius telling Harry stories about his years at Hogwarts and how he first met Harry's father on the train ride to Hogwarts in their first year. By eight thirty, they had gathered all of Harry's possessions in his trunk and gathered up Hedwig's cage. They walked outside to the garage. Harry frowned as he looked at his godfather's motor bike.

"There isn't enough room Sirius…" began Harry.

"Don't be silly Harry. I'm a wizard after all. There is plenty of room… and trust me, you've never had a ride like this on the ol' motorbike before!" Sirius said.

Harry watched as his godfather stuffed not only his trunk, but Hegwigs cage into the side kart. Harry got in afterwards and was surprised. The inner area had been expanded so Harry could lay down if he wanted to. Harry pushed his trunk further into the side cart and put Hegwig's case beside him.

Sirius handed Harry a helmet as he pulled one on for himself. "Now Harry, don't be afraid. But, this will be your bike one day." Sirius said. Before Harry could say anything, Sirius revved up the bike. Instead of moving forward or backwards though, it moved up. Harry looked over the edge as the bike began to raise higher and higher. Turning to look at Sirius, he wasn't surprised to see his godfather with a big goofy grin on his face. Sirius flipped a switch on the bike and Harry felt a chill run through him.

"That's the disillusionment charm kicking in Harry! We'll be the first ones to the station for sure! No crowds on your first day Harry!" Sirius yelled over the roar of the engine.

Sure enough, not even fifteen minutes later, Sirius pulled the bike into a parking space not far from the train station. After they got off of the bike, Sirius turned off whatever charm was on the bike. Many people did a double take as if they hadn't noticed the bike before. Sirius smiled as he pulled Harry's trunk and Hegwigs cage out of the side kart.

"Hmm… these are just too heavy to carry around Harry. Oh, I know!" Sirius pulled out his wand and flicked it again. But nothing happen this time. Even as Harry began to open his mouth to question what his godfather had done, Sirius picked up the trunk with one hand and Hedwigs cage with another as if they were weightless. Harry couldn't help but smile again… less forceful than he had earlier in the day. Sirius let out some grunts for the muggles as if he was straining to carry the luggage as they made their way into the train station.

Harry followed behind Sirius as they traveled through the Kings Cross train station. Harry realized something was wrong though when they approached platform 9 and 10. There was no platform nine and three quarters.

Sirius set down his trunk and the Hedwigs cage. He briefly paused to wipe his brow as if he had worked up a big sweat; he hadn't. "So Harry. Here we are! Platform nine and three quarters!"

Harry looked around, noticing that a couple with a girl around his age were giving them peculiar looks. He turned to look at his godfather. "I don't see it."

"Ah… Now then. Wizards use magic… where exactly would the entrance to platform nine and three quarters be Harry?" Sirius smiled as he took a seat on Harry's trunk.

"It would be hidden by magic." Harry stated matter of factly.

Sirius pointed at the brick barrier separating platform nine and ten. "That is the entrance to Platform 9 and ¾ and to the Hogwarts Express!"

"Excuse me." it was a little girl's voice.

Harry and Sirius turned their attention to a girl with bushy brown hair. She was a bit shorter than himself, Harry noted. She looked rather nervous between Harry and his Godfather.

"Yes?" Harry asked, trying to sound polite.

"Um… I.. I couldn't help but overhear. You were mentioning platform nine and three quarters and I wanted to know where it was." Harry noticed that she had a bossy tone to her voice when she spoke.

Sirius stood up from his seat and approached the girl, holding out a hand. "Hello. I am Sirius Black and this is my godson, Harry."

The girl looked at them both in turn before she accepted Sirius hand and shook it. "I am Hermione Granger. A pleasure."

Sirius nodded, with a smile he said, "Yes it is. This is your parents behind you I take it?"

Hermione nodded and motioned for her parents to approach. Harry noted that they had skeptical looks on their faces. Sirius shook each of their hands. Their names were Cordellia and Edward.

Sirius began, "Now, to enter platform nine and three quarters… you have to walk straight into the platform between nine and ten. Don't stop, don't blink. Also… Don't be afraid or you might walk into a solid wall. Best do it in a bit of a hurry actually. Why don't you show them how it is done Harry?"

Harry looked at the wall, concentrating on it. Without a word Harry took off in a brisk walk towards the wall. An older couple bumped into him, causing Harry to make up the lost time by moving quicker. He broke out into a run. There would be no stopping now. Harry knew he couldn't stop himself in time now. Less than a foot… Harry leaped at the wall like he was jumping over a puddle.

Except, Harry didn't hit the wall like he should have. He landed on a platform which had a scarlet steam engine. There wasn't anyone on the platform yet. Harry moved out of the way as Hermione suddenly appeared behind him, also coming through in a run and had to make an abrupt stop not to run into Harry. She looked around and made way as her parents, pushing a trolley with her trunk, came through the wall. They looked like the children who were admiring that broom in Diagon Alley.

_Stupid children. _Harry thought.

Sirius came through carrying Harry's luggage. He groaned over the weight, winking at Harry again as the Granger's gasped at Sirius feat of strength. Sirius led Harry to one of the compartments near the front of the train. "Okay Harry… this is where we will part ways. But remember you are never alone." Sirius glanced at the Grangers, who were following closely behind them, looking around as if they weren't sure what they should do.

Harry stepped up to the first compartment and pulled the door open. Sirius held up Harry's trunk for him to take. Harry smiled when the Grangers grasped as he lifted it over his head and put it into the compartment with ease. Hedwigs cage was next.

When Harry turned back around, Sirius was holding out a small mirror for Harry. "Consider this a small gift. Its… kind of like a telephone. Just start calling out my name to it and I'll show up eventually. I've charmed it so it won't break on you. Now make sure to get into plenty of normal trouble… and remember the first rule in our lessons Harry. Also remember this as a second rule… Blend in."

Harry nodded as he took the mirror. Harry glanced at the Grangers. "Do you need help putting you trunk in the compartment Hermione?" Harry asked politely.

Hermione nodded, a soft blush coming to her cheeks. Harry couldn't help but roll his eyes.

A school filled with children.

_This is going to be difficult. _

Sirius pulled out his wand, the older Grangers actually gasped when they saw him give it a casual flick and pocket it again before they could take in a breath of air.

"Try picking it up now, Hermione." Said Sirius.

Hermione glanced at her trunk. "It's too heavy."

"Nonsense!" Sirius moved forward quickly and picked it up with a loud groan. Sirius wobbled to Harry and pushed the trunk towards his godson. Harry rolled his eyes again as he grabbed the handle of the trunk from his godfather and lifted it effortlessly into the train compartment.

"Now then, lets leave these kids to get to know each other and you two can tell me thrilling stories of your lives!" Sirius moved to stand beside the two older Grangers. Ms. Granger moved and wrapped her daughter in a hug, wishing her a happy trip and a good year at Hogwarts. Sirius just winked at Harry before he led the two Grangers off of the platform.

Hermione had tears in her eyes as she got into the compartment with Harry. Harry closed the door behind them and took a seat so that his back was leaning against the glass. Hermione took a seat opposite from Harry, looking nervous.

"I wouldn't be so nervous. According to _Hogwarts, A History_ the train ride is the simple part. The sorting is supposed to be the most nail biting part." stated Harry.

Hermione turned to look at Harry. "Oh, I know… it's just… It will be months before I see my parents again."

"I'm sure you could use a school owl to write them."

She nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her sleeve. "So how much of _Hogwarts, A History _did you read?"

"All of it." Harry pulled out his wand and began studying it, he had already memorized every part of it but he was looking for something to do. Harry wouldn't admit it, but he was nervous right now. He hadn't been able to fit in with kids at his primary school. They thought he was 'creepy' and would shy away from him. _Children are stupid… _Harry found himself thinking.

"Really?" Hermione asked in disbelieve.

"Yep. Read all of our school books as well. Potion book was kind of boring though… read like a cookbook." he said with a bored tone in his voice.

"I agree… but it is so interesting. I can't wait to make a forgetfulness potion!" Hermione said with excitement, the bossy tone began to become more evident as her nervousness beginning to vanish.

Harry thought for a moment and laughed. "I didn't understand the point of half those potions unless you wanted to use them on enemies."

For the next few hours, Harry and Hermione had conversations about all of their text books. From the ones they liked, the ones they hated, to the ones they found themselves reading over and over. It was around ten thirty by the time the platform began to get busy. It seemed like most wizards and witches waited until the last minute to arrive. Harry never turned to face the platform, he didn't want to know what kind of response his presence might give.

"I think I'm going to go change into my robes now." Hermione announced suddenly. Harry wondered what time it was, he hadn't brought a watch.

"Alright… Um, I… I guess I'll save your seat Hermione." Harry looked at the palm of his hands, studying them in detail for something to do.

"Oh… alright… well… I'll be right back." With that, Hermione opened her truck, grabbed a set of neatly folded robes, and left the compartment.

It wasn't even a minute later that a girl near Harry's age opened the compartment door and stuck her head in. "Hello. I'm curious if any of these seats are open?"

"Uh… Yeah. I'm saving one for a girl who is changing into her robes right now though." Harry stated, glancing at the girl. She had medium length red hair and had a chubby face. She took a step in, dragging her trunk behind her with effort. With a loud sigh, she plopped herself in the seat near Harry's feet.

The girl wiped a hand across her brow, she had been sweating. "My name is Susan Bones. What's your name?"

Harry glanced at her again before standing and going into his trunk. "My name is Harry."

The girl gave him a look, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "I think I recognize you… Just plain Harry?"

"Yes." Harry grabbed his _Curses and Counter-Curses_ spell book and opened it to a random page, hiding his face behind it.

All at once the compartment door swung open and closed again as Hermione reclaimed her seat.

"Hello, I'm Susan Bones."

"Hermione Granger." Harry watched over his book as Hermione glanced between himself and Susan. "So," she began, "have either of you two tried any spells? I've tried a few just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family is magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter. I was ever so pleased. I've heard… learned that Hogwarts is the best school for learning magic. I've already learned all our books by heart, of course. I just hope it is enough."

Susan smiled, "I wouldn't be worried Hermione. My mother says that kids from wizarding families are about on the same level as muggle borns. Amelia Bones, my aunt, was recently promoted to the head of Magical Law Enforcement actually."

Harry concentrated on reading the chapter on a section about stinging hexes.

"So, do either of you know which house you'll end up in?" asked Susan.

All at once the train began to move. Harry glanced out the window to see a little redheaded girl chasing after the train in tears. Several students were hanging out windows, waving and hollering good bye to their parents, mostly first years in tears.

_Stupid children._

"I hope I end up in Gryffindor." said Hermione, "From everything I've read it sounds like the best. Dumbledore himself was in Gryffindor after all… although Ravenclaw wouldn't be bad either."

"My whole family seems to switch every few generations… My parents say I'll end up in Hufflepuff. Every now and then, like my aunt, some one from the Bones family ends up in Gryffindor. I don't suppose being in Ravenclaw would be all bad though… but could you imagine ending up in Slytherin?" She gave a slight shudder at saying the name.

Harry glanced at her. "That's the house Voldemort was in, wasn't it?" asked Harry.

Susan turned to Harry alarmed and began looking around frantically. "You say _He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named_ name? Are you nuts? He is likely to pop up and kill us now!" Susan stood up and actually opened her trunk to see if he was hiding in there.

"I… I have a question about that." Began Hermione, "In most of the books it references him… but it never names him. Why is that?" asked Hermione. She actually began to blush from not knowing something that must be trivial information in the wizarding world.

"_You-Know-Who_ was an evil wizard who was killed by Harry Potter when he was just a baby…" Susan turned her head to look at Harry, the same moment Harry raised his book to block her view to read the proper procedure to cast a hex that would cause someone's eyeball to itch.

"So what kind of jobs are there in the wizarding world?" asked Hermione suddenly; a change of topic. Harry let out a small sigh of relief.

Susan turned to look at Hermione, but would glance in Harry's direction occasionally. "There are Aurors who protect us, regular ministry workers who make sure the government is running right, animal handlers… several jobs really. Pretty much everything there is in the wizard world there exists in the muggle world." said Susan excitedly.

The two girls got lost in conversation about the wizarding world and Hogwarts. Harry took a chance and ran off to change. By the time he had gotten back, the girls were still discussing how grand Hogwarts was. Even though none of them had been there yet.

Almost the instant Harry reclaimed his seat, three boys pulled the compartment door open and entered it. The middle one was Draco, the skinny boy from Madam Malkins.

"I thought I saw you Harry Potter." The boy plopped down into the empty seat next to Hermione. At once both girls turned to stare at Harry's forehead, in search of his scar. Harry began practicing his occlumency exercises to stay calm. Draco motioned to the two large boys who stood in the door way looking menacingly. "This is Crabbe and Goyle."

"Are you really Harry Potter?" asked Susan suddenly.

Harry nodded as he looked at Draco, who had a smug look on his face. "Hello Draco. How was the rest of your summer?"

"Smashing actually!" Draco sneered, or smiled. Harry wasn't sure. "My name is Draco Malfoy." He glanced at Susan and then stared at Hermione.

"Malfoy?" Susan said the name louder than was necessary in the compartment. She glanced at Crabbe and Goyle. "I'm Susan Bones."

"Hermione Granger."

Draco stared at Hermione for a moment. "Granger? Who are your parents?"

She smiled and shook her head. "I don't think you'd have heard about them. They are muggles."

Draco shot up out of the seat like it was on fire. "MUGGLES?"

Hermione nodded, the small smile she did have on her face began to falter.

"I can't believe I sat next to a muggle born!" Draco began slapping at his robes as if he was trying to get off something he couldn't see. Harry narrowed his eyes and closed his book.

"Draco. That is enough." Harry stated simply.

Draco turned to look at Harry, glancing at Hermione who was steadily turning pink and was looking at her shoes. Draco said, "You'll soon come to realize that some wizarding families are better than others. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." Draco reached out with an open hand to Harry.

Harry studied Draco's hand for a moment before he looked into the boy's grey eyes. "I appreciate the gesture Draco. I really do. However, it doesn't make sense to put stock on blood. Stock should be put on ability. I thank you, but I don't think I'm ready to accept your hand in friendship." Harry stated calmly.

Draco Malfoy didn't get angry, but a pink color similar to the one draining from Hermione's face began to show on the boys pale skin. Hermione was staring at Harry now with curiosity.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter." Draco began slowly. "Unless you wise up you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them either. You go hanging around riffraff like muggle borns and they will begin to rub off on you."

"Draco, I've lived my entire life in the muggle world. I'm not trying to make an enemy out of you, I just don't know if we view people the same way." Harry stated calmly again.

Draco and Harry stared at each other, neither breaking eye contact. At last, Draco motioned for Crabbe and Goyle to follow him. Almost the moment the compartment door closed that people began peering in curiously from the window on the door.

Harry let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Thank you Harry." It was Hermione.

Before Harry opened his mouth, two boys older than Harry, twins, opened the compartment door and stepped in.

"Blimey," began one. "Are you…"

"He is," said the other. "Aren't you?"

The boys were on top of Harry before he could say a word. One of them grabbed the side of Harry's head while another one pushed a lock of hair from his forehead. The twin brothers gasped at the same time and drew back dramatically.

"Harry Potter!" chorused the boys.

"We can't believe it…" said one.

"All summer the Prophet's been going on about you…" the second one.

"How you'll be starting your first year at Hogwarts."

"Your scar really does…"

"Look like lighting!"

Each boy held out a hand to Harry.

"George Weasley."

"Fred Weasley."

Harry took each hand in turn as the murmuring broke out in the hallway outside of the compartment grew louder.

The one who said he was Fred gave Harry a questioning look as he asked, "Do you remember what _You-Know-Who_ looks like?"

"That's enough!" said Hermione in a bossy tone. She got out of her seat and began pushing the two boys out of the compartment. The boys were protesting the entire time until Hermione slammed the compartment door shut and locked it. The onlookers now had there noses pressed against the glass, trying to get a good look at Harry. Susan reached up and closed the blinds.

"Wow. No wonder no one's seen you in public in year's Harry. I don't think I could handle that much attention." said Susan.

Harry didn't say anything as he opened his book up to another random chapter. The rest of the ride to Hogwarts was relatively quiet. A boy named Neville came looking for his frog and Hermione left to help him. She returned shortly after, the Neville boy coming in after her. He took the seat next to Hermione and stayed quiet, glancing at Harry occasionally.

All at once, a calm voice interrupted the silence: "We will be arriving at Hogwarts shortly. Please leave all of your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Almost at once the two girls broke the silence and began discussing all of the pros and cons they knew about each house. Neville smiled and nodded his head, his face quickly turning red.

Harry sighed as he snapped his book closed and looked out the window without interest. The train came to a slow and steady halt. The moment the train came to a full stop, students began spreading out onto a tiny, dark platform. The sun had set long ago, and when Harry opened the compartment door leading to outside, he felt a shiver run down his spin from the cold air.


	8. Book1 Chap8 The Sorting

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.

**AN: **I rather liked the review that was given to me by J. A. Asper. They understood many of the things that will come up in the story. Oh, such joy. However, I will answer one of the things mentioned now, as it will be a good long time before I am able to cover it in the story. In my story, Sirius had to make many decisions when raising Harry. One of those is not telling him of his lineage from the beginning. There are several more. Hence the story title, _The Blackest Decision_. The changes in the bond will be explained much later in the story.

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 8 - The Sorting**

The large man Harry had seen at Diagon Alley walked past him calling out "Firs' years! Firs' years follow me!" Harry watched as many of the students turned and stare at Harry openly. Hermione, Neville, and Susan followed behind Harry, trying to keep up with him. Once the first years were away from the older students, the wind and the shuffling of feet was the only thing heard.

"Jus' round this bend here is Hogwarts." Said the giant of a man.

There was a large collection of breath being sucked in and a chorus of "Ohhh!" and "Ahh!" from the first years.

Harry mumbled to himself "Stupid kids…"

The narrow path had opened up to the edge of a great black lake with Hogwarts in the distance. It was a large castle many of the turrets and towers had candles in it, giving off a sparkle look to the ancient castle.

"No more'n four a boat!" called the man. Harry got into the first boat he saw, Hermone, Susan, and Neville following behind him.

The giant man got into a boat by himself, it almost looked like it was going to sink from the weight. "Everyone in?" When he heard no response, he bellowed out "Right then! FORWARD!"

The trip along the boat was uneventful. Harry looked at the castle, wondering just how much magic he would learn here in the next seven years of his life. The closer they came to the school, the bigger and more intimidating it seemed. They came to an underground harbor in which all the first years got out.

"Oy, you there!" The giant man came thundering over to Neville. "Is this your toad?"

"Trevor!" Neville reached out and grabbed the frog from the giant man. Silently the group of first years walked up a flight of marble steps until they came to a giant door.

"Everyone here?" said the large man. "Right!" He knocked on the door three times. The door swung open to reveal an old witch, with graying brown hair, and a stern look on her face. "Firs' years, Professor McGonagall." said the large man.

Harry followed the mass of students who began following Professor McGonagall. Harry toned out whatever she eventually began to say. He heard references to the houses, but knew all that information from his books already. Harry was watching the paintings that were gossiping with each other on the far wall behind the professor. She left to check to make sure that they were ready for the sorting in the Great Hall.

"My brother told me they give us some type of test. Said it hurts a lot." said a boy with red hair. Harry glanced around at the kids, all of them were mostly quietly, except for Hermione who was muttering about all the spells she had already learned and was organizing them from most important to least.

"Don't be foolish. They wouldn't kill us on the first day." said Harry with a bored tone to his voice. Harry turned his attention to the door that all of the noise was coming from.

"How can you be so sure, Potter?" asked Draco.

"Because wizards can't be that stupid." Harry stated.

Some of the kids snickered while others glared at Harry. Then they screamed in fright. Harry turned his head quickly to see what could only be described as ghosts flying through the walls. All of them were pearly-white and translucent. They seemed to be arguing about a 'Peeves'. A fat friar turned his attention to the first years and offered a "Good luck" before he flew through another wall just as soon as Professor McCongall entered from a different door.

"They are ready for us. The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin." She stated simply. "Form a line and follow me."

Harry found himself somehow in the back of the line, as if people didn't want to be behind him. Harry let out a frustrated sigh until he caught Hermione's eye who looked more nervous than she did on the train. "Just the first step of many Hermione." Harry found himself whispering quietly to her. It was a phrase Sirius had said to him when he was younger that gave him confidence.

She seemed to grow a little taller and at once, they were in a room with thousands of floating candles midair above four long tables. Each table had students in the predominate colors of green, blue, yellow, and red. _The four houses… _Harry found himself thinking. Harry stared straight ahead at the old wizard at the center of a fifth table that was slightly raised above the others. He had a long white beard and would be everything that you would use to describe the ancient wizard Merlin. Hermione was mumbling something about _Hogwarts, A History_ to anyone that would listen.

McConagall led the first years to a stool that had an old pointed wizard's hat on it. It was filthy. It was patched and it was frayed. _Sirius would have liked this hat. He probably would have put it on. _Harry thought.

Harry noticed that everyone in the hall was staring at the hat, Harry glanced at it the same moment it twitched. Harry couldn't help it, he cocked his head to the side in an attempt to understand it. A rip near the brim opened like a mouth and at once, it began to sing.

The song covered the basics of the school and the houses. Harry was kind of disappointed. He had hoped that they would have to pull a rabbit out of the hat. Almost as soon as the song was done that the great hall broke out into clapping. Harry looked around, wondering if it was proper etiquette to clap for enchanted objects.

"So we've got to try on that hat!" mumbled the first year boy with red hair. "I'll kill Fred, he said we would have to wrestle a troll."

Professor McConagall stepped forward with a long scroll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said, "Abbot, Hannah."

And Professor McConagall began to call out names. Each student would step forward and be sorted by the hat. Susan Bones was sent to the Hufflepuff table. After each house got a new student that house would break out in applause, Harry noticed that not all of the professors would join in.

Harry stared at one professor particularly. A man who was dressed in black that was staring at Harry in equal measure. Harry felt something in his mind, like a hand brushing against it casually. Harry didn't know what it was but the moment he felt it he began his occlumency exercises.

The feeling was gone.

The man's jaw dropped before he openly glared at Harry, with a cruel sneer on his lips.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Harry's attention was pulled from the professor as Hermione pushed passed some students in a run, jumped onto the stool, and pulled the hat onto her head in one quick motion.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Harry heard the red headed boy moan loudly, but Harry doubted if anyone else heard over the applause the students in red gave. Hermione sent a large smile at Harry as she went to join some of the other first years from that house. Neville ended up taking a seat next to her shortly after.

Harry let out a bored sigh and decided to stare at the professor in black again. The man seemed to also decide the same thing. Harry felt another brush against his mind and again he used his occlumency skills to get rid of it. Harry wasn't sure what was going on, but he was sure this was the real test for the sorting.

Something based on skill, which made sense.

Harry felt the hand begin to slam into his mind harder and harder. It wasn't until someone grabbed him and shook him, the boy with the red hair, that Harry noticed everyone was staring at Harry.

"They are calling you. It's your turn." said the red headed boy.

Harry glanced around, the feeling on his mind stopped. People were murmuring his name and standing to get a better look at him. Harry took steps toward the stool. When he took his seat, the last thing he saw was the entire Hogwarts student population either staring at him or pushing against each other to get a better look as he pulled the hat on.

_Stupid children. _Harry thought as he sat silently.

Harry sat in silence for a minute.

Then two minutes.

Harry sat, going through his occlumency skills, wondering just when the hand on his mind would strike again.

At four minutes, the students began murmuring to each other. Harry eventually waved for Professor McGonagall to come closer. She bent over and leaned in close to Harry's face.

"Professor, how long do I have to sit with the hat on my head?" Harry whispered.

"Until it has decided to put you into a house." She whispered back.

"It isn't doing anything though." Harry whispered back.

She stood up in surprise, her attention being directed at the old wizard sitting at the center of the staff table. She moved toward the staff table and leaned over to whisper something to the old wizard. While the older wizard stared at Harry with an inquisitorial look, the one in black leaned in close as well, joining in on the conversation the three had.

Professor McGonagall eventually returned to stand in front of Harry. All of the students were now talking quite loudly, wondering what was happening.

"Harry, you shouldn't use occlumency on the hat. It has to read your thoughts." She whispered. Professor McGonagall then retook the place she had been standing, facing the student body as she looked down at Harry.

Harry sat for a moment. _Sirius said that occlumency would protect me…_ Harry closed his eyes and opened his mind.

"Hmm…" said a small voice in Harry's ear. "Difficult… Very difficult. Ah! There we are. I must admit, I have never ran into a student who has employed occlumecy against me before. Very interesting… Lets see what we have inside of your head then." Harry looked around alarmed. The hat was speaking to him, but it hadn't spoken to anyone else. "Plenty of courage, I see. Strong mind as well. OH! There is talent in you my boy… And a thirst to prove yourself, now that is interesting. What… There is a sneak in you also… and already you have done nefarious things. So where should I put you?"

_I just don't want to end up in Slytherin… Too much attention will come from that house. Sirius said wizards and witches go bad in that house. _Harry thought.

"Not Slytherin you say?" said the small voice, "You could be great, you know, it's all in your head. Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness."

_Don't put me in Slytherin._

"But where then? Gryffindor or Ravenclaw? Both are worthy choices. Both have had greatness."

_Which would you prefer?_

The hat chuckled in Harry's ear. "Oh my! You do show a good bit of courage. Perhaps Gryffindor is the correct choice?"

Harry glanced at the twins who actually looked like they were watering at the mouth as they looked at Harry. Many of the Gryffindors looked that way actually. Harry glanced at the quiet table of Ravenclaw. _Ravenclaw. I don't think any of the students would survive if I went to Gryffindor… well perhaps Hermione. She seemed like she had some intelligence for a child._

"Really? Hmm… You will do great things Harry… Tom did great things after all. The similarities are striking…Better be… RAVENCLAW!" The last word was yelled to the whole hall.

Several of the Gryffidor's looked like they had been smacked in the face while the rest of the houses had simply looks of surprises. A slow steady of clapping began from the Ravenclaw table until it grew louder and louder, louder than the Gryffindor's had been for any of there students. Harry turned to look at the Merlin wizard and the wizard in black, both of them looked similar to the Gryffindor students. He heard the Weasley twins yell out "We didn't get Potter?"

Harry took off the hat and put it back on the stool. Moving quickly, he took a seat at the end of the bench at the Ravenclaw table closest to the staff table. Many of the Ravenclaws took it upon themselves to get out of their seats to come and congratulate Harry.

The sorting was over shortly after as it seemed the main event for the Welcoming feast was now over. The old wizard who looked like Merlin rose from his seat, whatever conversation that had been occurring stopped immediately. He was beaming, with arms held wide open.

"Welcome!" he said, "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

At once, food popped up into existence on the table. Many of the first years gasped when it happen, Harry actually caught himself doing it. All at once everyone began to eat. One of the ghosts floated next to Harry. Turning to look at her, Harry stared at her as he brought his cup to his mouth and took it a sip. She looked sad. He turned his attention to the drink. It was like nothing he had ever had before.

"It's called butterbeer." said the ghost softly.

Harry turned his attention back to the ghost. "Hello, my name is Harry Potter."

She smiled. Harry took in her appearance. She was very pretty and must have died relatively young. A sad expression was always on her face though. "You may call me the Grey Lady." She sunk into the floor and Harry did not see her for the rest of the feast.

Harry noted the rest of his fellow first years. Terry Boot, Mandy Brocklehurst, Michael Corner, Stephen Cornfoot, Anthony Goldstein, Su Li, Morag MacDougal, Padma Patil, and Lisa Turpin. Most of them carried on conversations about where they were from and their families; it seemed important to them to establish who came from what family. Harry looked back up to the professor in black.

He didn't turn to his classmates, but he stated clear enough for them all to hear, "Who is the man next to the one in the turban?"

Padma grabbed the attention of one of the older students. A pretty asian girl with long black hair and brown eyes took a seat across from Harry suddenly. He felt his pulse quicken suddenly and a flush he had never felt before swept through him.

He quickly went through his occlumency exercises.

"Hello. I'm Cho Chang. You had a question?" She smiled. At once, Harry understood what Sirius meant by infectious smiling.

"Hi! I'm Harry Potter!" Harry realized with horror that his voice cracked when he said his name. Several of the girls at the table laughed as the boys looked on confused.

She nodded. "It's kind of hard not to know who you are Harry." Cho smiled again. "What did you need to know?"

"Whose the professor next to the one in the turban?" Harry asked again, feeling silly for asking about a professor in front of Cho.

She turned her head to look. "Oh. That is Professor Snape and the one in the turban is Professor Quirrell. Professor Snape teaches potions, but everyone knows he fancies the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. It's the class Professor Quirrell now teaches. He used to teach Muggle Studies a few years ago. My older sister went here with him."

Harry turned and locked eyes with Professor Snape. It was sudden and sharp. His scar flared in pain. Reflexively Harry reached up to it. "Ow!"

"Are you okay Harry?" Cho asked with concern.

Harry rubbed his scar and looked back at Professor Snape. He was now carrying on a conversation with Professor Quirrell and didn't turn to look back at Harry. "I'm fine. Thank you Cho."

She smiled again. Smiling was so nice… "You're welcome… Harry." and she was gone. Harry watched as she went and joined some other second year girls who broke out in laughter the moment she sat down. They were smiling and glancing back and fourth between Harry and a blushing Cho.

Harry suddenly hated smiling again.

The hall grew silent and Harry turned his eyes to the Merlin looking professor, who he heard was _the _Albus Dumbledore. Which made sense.

"Ahem." Professor Dumbledore patted his chest gently. "Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."

"First years should know that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Dumbledore's eyes actually looked like they were twinkling as they flickered towards the Weasley twins, who only seemed to sit a little straighter with large grins on their faces for the recognition.

"I have also been reminded by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors."

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch."

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very horrible and painful death." At once, several of the first years broke out in laughter. They were the only ones. All the older students held grim looks on there faces.

"He can't be serious, can he?" asked Padma Patil.

"Must be." said Lisa Turpin. "No one else thought it was funny… Look on the faces of the seventh years down the table!" She pointed down the table. Sure enough, all of them looked at Dumbledore with stern looks on their faces.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" said Dumbledore. Harry wasn't sure if he was supposed to laugh.

"Everyone, pick your own tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

Harry watched as everyone sang the same song in different pitches and speed.

It sounded horrible.

Professor Dumbledore was using his wand to spell out the words above his head in sparkling colors that would alternate between the house colors. At last it was only the Weasley twins singing a slow funeral march. Harry wasn't sure what to think as Dumbledore actually raised his wand and waved it like a conductor for the last few lines of the song. When they were finished, everyone clapped. Dumbledore the loudest.

"Ah, music." said Dumbledore as he actually wiped a tear from his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now bed! Off you trot!"

A girl named Penelope Clearwater approached the Ravenclaw first years who remained seated, not totally sure what to do. "Okay first years, I need you to follow me. I'll show you how to get to Ravenclaw tower!"

"Why should we listen to you?" Asked Su Li.

"Because I'm a prefect. Now stop asking questions and follow me, it's late and I'm tired." She turned and left the Great Hall. The Ravenclaw first years raised from their seats and chased after her. They began to go up a marble staircase. All of the paintings were actually moving, pointing, and talking. Some of the occupants of one painting would rush to another one to follow the first years to the Ravenclaw tower.

Penelope let out a yelp suddenly and glared at something floating. It wasn't a ghost, but it definitely wasn't human.

"PEEVES!" yelled Penelope. She had black ink running through her hair. Harry suddenly was reminded of Sirius and chuckled. Penelope glared at Harry before turning her attention to Peeves. "LEAVE OR I GET THE BAREN!"

"OHH! Ickle first years!" Peeves flew in figure eights over the Ravenclaw first years. Harry chuckled until Peeves tossed a jar containing ink at him.

Harry whipped out his wand and flicked it like he did at Ollivanders. A ball of water shot out of the tip of Harry's wand. This had two effects. The first was that the ink bottle exploded in Peeves face and that the creature became totally drenched in water. It looked ridiculous as it stared at Harry, a large grin growing on it's too wide mouth and white eyes looking at Harry like he was a delicious meal. It flew down until it was nose to nose with Harry.

"Who be you Ickle Firsty?" asked Peeves.

Harry looked at the little man for a moment. "Harry Potter."

"Potty!" Peeves reached out and wrapped his arms around Harry's chest, rubbing his cheek against Harry's. "OH what joy! How I missed the Potty's! What mayhem we will cause together!"

Peeves gave Harry a big kiss on his cheek, and vanished from sight. Peeves laughed madly as it sounded like he bounced against the walls like he was a bouncing ball, knocking over a suit of armor, until the sounds drifted down the stairs. Harry noted that Peeves had made sure to not only get him wet, but on one side of his face ink was running down, dripping onto the floor, while the other side of his face had two giant kiss imprints made from the black ink.

"What was that?" asked Su Li.

"Peeves… a poltergeist." Penelope pulled out her wand and aimed it at herself. Air apparently shot out of her wand because all at once, her hair was thrown back as if a great gust of wind had suddenly came from no where. Her hair dried with the ink in there. "Stupid ink… I'll have to spend most of the morning getting it out of my hair." she said angirly.

Penelope glanced at Harry for a moment, with a wicked grin growing on her face. With a flick of her wand Harry was hit by the same spell she had used on herself. This one must have been more powerful though as Harry was knocked off of his feet.

"Come along, the common room is just up here." Said Penelope as she led the first years up a winding set of staircases. At the top, a bronze knocker in the form of a raven rested on an old oak door.

A feminine voice came from the knocker as it said, "What sphinxes employ, the players enjoy."

Penelope smiled as she turned to face the first years. "Well, what is the answer?"

All of the first years glanced at each other in confusion.

Penelope nodded, a smile on her face. "All of the houses have unique ways of entering… well, Gryffindor or Slytherin are the same. They have passwords. I'm not sure what you have to do to enter the Hufflepuff common room… but it involves a picture of fruit."

"The answer is 'a riddle'." said Michael Corner.

Penelope's smile grew larger as the common room door swung inward. "Now you will come to realize that most wizard's aren't very intelligent. Logic puzzles will leave them standing looking like an idiot. This is why Ravenclaw always excels when it comes to grades. We are always exercising our minds. Now, if you don't know the answer you'll have to wait for someone to come and get it correct. During my first year it gave us such a riddle that not even Professor Flitwick could answer it. We had to get Dumbledore to come down and open it for us."

They stepped through the door and found themselves in the Ravenclaw common room. It had beautifully carved arch windows. Tables, chairs, and bookcases covered the common room, making it look very much like a library. A few couches were in corners that looked rather straight but quite comfortable. A white marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw was next to the door that led up to the dormitories. "Boys to the right, girls to the left. Your dorms will be marked according to your year."

Harry and the rest of the Ravenclaw boys shuffled up the stairs. They found the room marked for them and pushed it open. There were six beds for them that already had there trunks in front of them. Harry didn't bother changing. He collapsed onto his bed with a heavy sigh and fell asleep.


	9. Book1 Chap9 The First Week

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.

**AN: **I'm sure Rowling had a detailed schedule written out for all the classes, but I think I'll mainly do what is most beneficial to whatever I'm writing.

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 9 - The First Week**

Harry awoke before the rest of the members of his bedroom. Dressing quickly, Harry felt like it would be a productive day to do a bit of exploring. He made sure to get a thorough cleaning to get the dried ink off of his skin. Walking down the stairs to the common room, he found there were already some older students who had books open and were intently reading them silently. He couldn't help but admire that he was in the house that studied the most. None of them were making silly jokes and laughing like idiots.

One of the most frustrating things about Hogwarts, Harry discovered, was that the path you took to class on a Monday would not be the same as Friday. There were over a hundred stair cases in Hogwarts and they moved in a pattern that Harry couldn't figure out. The Great Hall would always have food available at nearly all hours of the day. Many of the paintings in the castle would try to strike up conversations with the students as they passed. On one occasion, Harry found that several paintings were fighting with each other for a chance to tell _The Boy Who Lived _the proper form for holding a wand to cast spells.

Most of the students were curious about him and it annoyed Harry to no end. Many of the older students would watch him from afar, but the younger ones would often find reasons to follow Harry in-between classes.

The teachers at Hogwarts all seemed fairly knowledgably and knew what they were doing. Harry was disappointed when he found out that the elective courses weren't available until third year.

The core classes at Hogwarts were: History of Magic, Herbology, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, and Astronomy. The first month had a class, only for first years, for instructions on broom riding. It didn't take long for Harry to realize that Slytherin and Gryffindor had a long running rivalry and had many of the same classes together while Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff shared many of the same classes with the two houses getting along fairly well.

History of Magic was taught by Professor Binns, a ghost who would fly in through the blackboard. History of Magic was by far the most boring class. Professor Binns would often just ramble along about a subject for over an hour before the class ended. The first year Ravenclaw's quickly worked out a system where each one would take a day to pay attention and take notes so that the others could read books that they found more interesting. Harry was surprised the first day of class when Padma Patil took the seat next to his. He wasn't sure what to think when she realized just how boring the class was and would begin to exchange notes talking about anything and everything that crossed her mind.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was one of the classes Harry was looking forward to the most. What had the hopes of being one of the most interesting classes turned out not to be. Professor Quirrell turned out to not only have a horrible stutter under pressure but also had a knack of being afraid of the very things he was supposed to teach about. Harry found that this class was the most annoying class due to the Professor's personality. One of the more pleasant things about the class was that it was the class in which Hermione Granger sat down next to him. She received some odd looks from her fellow Gryffindors with the action, the youngest Weasley, the red head who was named Ron, actually began sending a glare at Harry.

Professor Flitwick, the Head of House for Ravenclaw, was a small wizard who obviously wasn't wholly human but was still pleasant enough. He actually had to stand on a large pile of books to see over his desk. On the first day of class he actually fell off of his tower when he got to Harry's name on the roll. Charms was definitely a class where they practiced the practical work of spell casting. Professor Flitwick made the class interesting and engaging every time.

Herbology was taught by Professor Sprout. Harry had never taken up gardening living with Sirius so he found some of the work leaving him feeling extremely dirty. He always felt like he needed a good bath after leaving one of the green houses. Another class that Harry felt wasn't worth his time was Astronomy. He couldn't understand why it was so important to study all of the stars and there movements when it had little to do with actual wizard work.

Professor McGonagall by far had the most interesting first class. She gave them a warning about how dangerous transfiguration could be if it wasn't taken seriously, giving all the first years in the class a hard glare. With a casual flick of her wand, the chair to her desk turned into a sheep. Almost everyone in the class pushed themselves up from there seats to get a better look. Draco watched the transformation with a keen interest and was practically climbing on top of his desk to get a better look. When Professor McGonagall turned her chair back into its true form, Draco gave an alarmed look at his actions and planted himself back into his seat. After taking several inches of notes about transfiguration, matches were handed out with the intention that the first years should be turning them into needles. Draco was surprisingly the first student to actually master the transformation by the end of class. Professor McGonagall looked thoroughly impressed with the Slytherin at the end of class.

Harry wasn't sure what to make of Peeves. For one thing, whenever the poltergeist spotted him he would always make himself known to Harry. He would solute him and ask for his orders. Unsure what to do at first, Harry simply told Peeves to go to the Great Hall.

Harry quickly learned that this was a mistake.

Wherever Harry told Peeves to go, Peeves would bring chaos in his wake. It was near the end of the first day of classes that Harry became a _de facto_ enemy of Argus Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts. The caretaker had overheard Harry instructing Peeves to go and visit the Great Hall. When Harry entered the Great Hall later for dinner, he found that a massive food fight had broken out. All of the older students, and only a handful of the younger, laughed as Professor Dumbledore stood on top of the staff table throwing apple pies without any type of regard to who it hit, be it staff member or student. Peeves bounced around the Great Hall with glee, seeming to become more and more excited by the chaos that was occurring while chanting, "Oh Potter, you rotter, oh what have you done? You're helping spread chaos while laughing!" Harry looked at the scene and did laugh, because he thought he was supposed to. Almost at once Mr. Filch was there and was reaching out to grab Harry when the Weasley twins lifted Harry upon there shoulders and started parodying him around the Great Hall as if he had just won a championship.

It was on Friday that Harry and the rest of the Ravenclaws sat hurdled together at the breakfast table, many of them looking worse for ware. It seemed as if all of them had done more studying than they were used to. In fact, all of the Ravenclaw table already looked tired. Harry still wasn't sure how he should feel about the first year Ravenclaws. Many of the boys would stare at Harry with large eyes and would mumble if he tried to strike up a conversation. The girls acted more mature, but would break out in giggles at random things he would say that weren't even funny. It was infuriating for him.

"What classes do we have today?" asked Padma as she placed pancakes on her plate.

"Double Potions with the Hufflepuffs." said Terry Boot, blushing when Padma glanced at him.

"I heard some of the older Ravenclaws say that Professor Snape favors Slytherin over the other houses. He's there Head of House after all!" added Michael Corner quickly.

"Lets not jump to conclusions about Professor Snape yet." said Padma. She cast a sideways glance at Harry.

Harry shrugged. "I'm not sure. Even if he does favor them, we aren't even in the same class as the Slytherin's for potions."

Before any of the other first years could raise a voice to argue with Harry, the morning owls flew in. It was quite a sight on the first day when hundred's of owls flew in dropping off forgotten items and letters from home. It was already losing that nostalgia for the first years though.

Harry couldn't help but sigh. He had been meaning to try the mirror Sirius had given him, just the other Ravenclaw's always pulled him into study sessions as soon as their classes were over. Or an older student would want his opinion on there homework. It was as if they were at one time accessing his abilities and another trying to prove they were better than him.

"Don't forget that we have our meetings with Professor Flitwick tonight!" said Su Li with excitement.

"What exactly will we be doing in these meetings though?" asked Lisa Turpin.

Padma swallowed her pumpkin juice quickly to say, "Penelope Clearwater told me that it was mainly a meet and greet. Apparently only Slytherin does it as well though. Although they do there's the first night from what she told me."

Potions was located in the dungeons, an area Harry hadn't explored yet. The dungeons were colder than the rest of the castle. The classroom itself was filled with all kinds of jars filled with things floating in them. The class was dimly lit and smelled distinctly of sweaty feet.

Harry wasn't sure what to think about Professor Snape after the first class. After whatever happen at the Welcoming Feast, he hadn't seen the man and felt himself eager to be in the man's class. As Professor Snape called roll, he paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, yes…" Professor Snape said slowly, "Harry Potter. Our… new celebrity."

Many of the students from Hufflepuff glanced at Harry. Padma Patil was sitting next to Harry again.

Harry felt himself staring at the professor. The man's eyes were dark and empty. Harry felt like he was looking into dark tunnels.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and art of potion making," began Professor Snape. Harry at once realized that something else was occurring. He felt the a hand brushing against his mind again. Harry again cocked his head to the side trying to figure out what was happening when they looked into each other's eyes. Snape continued to talk, but Harry wasn't paying attention to the words he was hearing. The pressure vanished from his mind without warning and he could hear Professor Snape again. "I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death… if you aren't a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Many of the Ravenclaws were glancing at each other, looks of determination on their faces. The Hufflepuffs looked mostly worried.

"Tell me, Potter," began Professor Snape, "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry stared at the potion master for a moment, trying to recall what he had read. "I believe that makes the Draught of Living Death."

"What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"There names." Harry answered with a pause before he added, "They also go by aconite."

Snape's eyes narrowed suddenly, dangerously. "Where would you look to find a bezour?"

"My pocket." Harry answered without thinking this time. Several of the student's suddenly broke out in laughter. Harry felt panicked as the entire class began chuckling. Sirius had said to join in, so he smiled as he stared into Professor Snape's eyes.

Harry suddenly felt like he was kicked in the head and feel backwards. The laughing stopped instantly. Padma was by Harry's side quickly, helping to pull him to his feet.

Professor Snape's eyes held a fury they had not held before as Harry found his green eyes meeting his professors black. "That will be five points for reading ahead, Potter." he sneered before he added, "And another ten points for lying to a professor."

Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a bezour and held it up for the class to see. Sirius had been adamant that he carry one on him at all times. Professor Snape glanced at him again. Almost as sudden, Harry felt the pressure on his mind increase. "That will be another ten points for speaking out of turn."

"But I didn't say anything." Harry said quickly.

"And another fifteen for continuing to speak out of turn."

It was nearly two hours later that the Ravenclaws shuffled out of the potions classroom angrily. Professor Snape's class was interesting, but he would take points away from anyone who did anything wrong. The first class they were expected to know everything. Harry lost nearly fifty points for his house by the end of the first class. The Hufflepuffs nearly did as bad as a whole.

That night, Harry sat with the rest of the Ravenclaw first years in the Charms classroom. Professor Flitwick was having meetings with each of them individually, going down the role. Harry sat with Padma, both of them with a set of matches in front of them. Harry was going turning his matches into needles with a flourish while Padma was struggling with the act.

"Ms. Patil, it's your turn." Professor Flitwick called out.

Twenty minutes seemed to go by before Flitwick called out his name. Gathering up the now-needles, Harry strode into Professor Flitwick's office.

The office was decorated with trophies of various dueling championships and photos of a younger Flitwick. The largest trophy was encased in a glass case and seemed to give off a shine as if it were on fire. Various tomes were scattered throughout the office. Some of the books turned pages on there owns and there were feathers writing on rolls of parchment without any point of reference, from what Harry could tell..

Professor Flitwick's desk was sized to fit him and made Harry feel slightly awkward when he took a seat in front of it the desk.

"It was such a nice surprise when you were sorted into Ravenclaw, Harry." Flitwick said, as he took his seat.

"Yes… I thought so as well." Harry glanced at the large trophy again.

"Ah yes, most students find that the most interesting object in my office." The professor giggled excitedly as he looked at it with fondness. He then smiled, "You'll have to excuse me Harry. That trophy is something I dedicated decades of my life to getting. It's roughly once a decade that they hold the national dueling championships and I didn't win it until my third try."

"If you are so good at dueling why are you teaching Charms, Professor?"

Flitwick nodded his head as he looked at a moving photo on the wall. It was of a younger Flitwick raising the trophy he had won above his head excitedly.

"Dueling is a lot more than simply Defense Against the Dark Arts. It has to be elegant. You have to have finesse. Any dunderhead with a wand can cast a spell with enough practice. A mark of a true duelist isn't his ability to cast a _Stupefy_ or _Expelliarmus_. It is in their ability in Charms."

"Transfiguration helps too, but if you ever match up a Master in Transfiguration against a Master in Charms, the Master in Charms generally wins hands down… There are special cases like Dumbledore… But then Dumbledore is a genius with a wand. Man still does things with it I have never even heard of. I trained for years to be a championship duelist. In fact, it was what I was doing before I became a professor."

Flitwick smiled as he shook his head. "But I'm not here to lecture you about the necessity of Charms or my own personal history. I want you to tell me about yourself, Harry."

Harry shifted in his seat, uncomfortably. He had found what Professor Flitwick was saying interesting. The professor wasn't nearly as goofy acting as he was in the classroom in this sitting.

"I'm not sure what to say professor."

"Tell me what your favorite book is."

Harry sat in silence for a moment, as he considered his options. "I think I like my _Curses and Counter-Curses_ spellbook."

"You think you like it?" Flitwick smiled again. "Harry, I'm impressed you are reading that book… Have you been able to perform any of the spells?"

"I haven't tried, Professor."

For the next fifteen minutes Harry and Professor Flitwick had a conversation about spells and what Harry could do to excel at Hogwarts. All in all, it seemed as if Professor Flitwick generally wanted to get to know him.

As Harry stood to leave once the meeting was over, Professor Flitwick said, "Harry, I want you to know that your mother was a brilliant witch. I only taught her briefly… But she was a magnificent witch at Charms."

"Thank you, Professor."


	10. Book1 Chap10 Tryouts

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.

**AN: **I felt like posting two chapters today... This is roughly the halfway point in the first book. I've got the 2nd book finished up until about halfway through too, so there is still no risk of me rushing my writing process.

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 10 - Tryouts**

The first week of school left a lasting impression on Harry. It seemed that there was so much to learn in only a short period of time. It was the first weekend of school when he heard Sirius' voice calling from his trunk one night when he was getting ready to go to sleep. Quickly going through his things, he found the mirror Sirius had given him. His godfather had a large smile on his face as he waved in the mirror.

"Hey Harry! How was your first week of school?" Sirius asked once he saw Harry.

Harry rotated the mirror around, trying to figure out how the mirror worked. "How does this work Sirius?"

Sirius grin grew larger for a moment before it steadily became a frown. "Friend of your fathers and mine came up with this back in our sixth year at Hogwarts..."

Harry nodded. Taking the mirror outside of the bedroom, he walked back into the common room and found a seat furthest away from everyone still awake at the late hour and told Sirius all about his first week at Hogwarts. Sirius grumbled once he heard about Professor Snape's attitude. But something totally else had his interest.

"So you are sure you felt something run across your mind?" Sirius asked, with a hungry look in his eyes.

Harry nodded. "Yes. It was like something was skimming the surface, trying to feel for things."

"I can't believe he would try that on a student! Reading students minds... It's not allowed!" Sirius began, his voice steadily growing louder. Harry pulled the glass surface to his chest as some of the older students turned to look at the noise. Once Sirius had quieted down, Harry continued.

"I went through the occlumency training you showed me and I don't think he found anything. It seemed like he tried to punch through at one point though... But I don't think he got through. Is that why you taught me occlumency, Sirius?"

"Yes... but It doesn't matter. I feel I should write a letter to Dumbledore about this. Teachers aren't supposed to use legilimancy against students."

"Was that what that was Sirius?" Harry asked, the enthusiasm in his voice suddenly very clear. "I thought it was, but I can't find any descriptions in any books at how it feels to be attacked."

"That's because people aren't supposed to be learning those things at Hogwarts. It's why I only taught you occlumency and not legilimancy." Sirius rubbed his forehead slowly. "I never even thought to check out who was teaching at that school Harry, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. All the books say that Hogwarts is the safest place to be in Britain." The enthusiasm in Harry's voice fell as he felt himself sink a little into the large chair.

"That's not it Harry..." Sirius eyes glazed over as he was lost in thought. "Severeus Snape is a supposed Death Eater."

"WHAT?" Harry sat up in his chair, a hungry look in his eyes.

Almost every Ravenclaw in the common room turned to Harry and shot him a glare. Several began gossiping while several others started mumbling about being quiet.

"I don't know if it was ever proven." Sirius let out a long sigh, the expression on his face evident that he did not like the way this conversation had turned. "But James and myself were certain of it. Lily would always say there was no way he would do that... but I'm sure you've seen him. He looks like a Death Eater."

"So... he's one of those bad types of people we talked about?" Harry asked nonchalantly, while holding up a hand to study his fingernails.

The expression on Sirius face fell slightly into a frown. "Yes... I believe so. I'm sure Dumbledore has his reasons for him to be there though." Sirius paused for a beat before he continued. "Have you... had any of your urges?"

Harry glanced at the older Ravenclaws, all of them with there noses in books or writing. None of them were listening.

"No. I haven't. School work has kept me from having any real spare time... and if I do have spare time someone is pulling me into a study group."

Sirius nodded, the frown on his lips turning into a thin line before it cracked into a small grin. "So it's true that all Ravenclaws ever do is study?"

Harry nodded.

"Meet any girls yet?" The small grin that was on Sirius face grew into a large smile.

In the following weeks, Harry quickly found that he had little time for himself, just as he told Sirius. He was always either in class, eating in the Great Hall, or sitting with the other first year Ravenclaws in either the library or the common room studying. Hermione Granger would occasionally join them if they studied in the library.

It was on the second weekend of the school year that the first year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs had there first flying lesson. It wasn't incredible exciting for Harry. The whole principle of riding a broom seemed irrelevant if you could Apparate.

At dinner that night, the first year Ravenclaws sat together.

"I always knew I was a natural flyer." Began Antony Goldstein. "I think it's safe to say that I'm the best flyer in our year... Probably better than half of Ravenclaw."

Padma Patil rolled her eyes. "Oh please. It took you almost ten minutes to get your broom to come to your hand. And don't forget that you cried out like a baby when it started to lift up off of the ground."

"Yeah well... at least I didn't fall off of my broom like Longbottom apparently did." said Goldstein, who turned in his seat to look at the first year Gryffindor who sat next to Hermione Granger, the other first year Gryffindor's sitting several seats down from them. Neville had a sad look on his face and Hermione was silently talking to him.

"That isn't fair Michael, and you know it." began Su Li. "That could have happen to anyone."

Padma shook her head quickly. "Anyone except Harry." She turned to look at Harry, a small grin on her face. "He got his broom in his hand on the first attempt and flew circles around the rest of us." Goldstein glanced at Padma for a moment before he started glaring at Harry.

"I don't much care for flying." began Harry as he idly began stirring his soup with a spoon. "Seems pointless when we can Apparate."

"You don't really believe that, do you Harry?" Everyone turned to Cho Chang, who was sitting down from the first years with some of her second year friends.

Harry glanced up into the enchanted ceiling as he answered. "I suppose I do. It just seems impractical when we can use magic to get where we want to."

"But what about the freedom you feel with the wind blowing through your hair?" Before anyone could say anything, Cho glanced at the ceiling as well. "I love that feeling. I love the feeling of the broom under me. My will urging the broom to go faster and faster. The power of it just coursing through me." Harry and Cho looked at each other, as if on cue. "I'm trying out for the house Quidditch team this year. You should too Harry!"

"First years never make the teams though!" said Goldstein defensively, this time looking at Harry had done something to offend him.

"If anyone could make the team, I'm sure the _Boy-Who Lived_ could!" Padma said excitedly as she looked at Harry.

Harry opened his mouth to begin, but realized that several of the Ravenclaws, Slytherins, and Hufflepuffs were craning there necks to listen to the conversation taking place. Harry took in a slow and deep breath, running a finger along his scar as he thought about it. Words Sirius had spoken to him at sometime rang inside his head. _Try to get onto your school Quidditch team Harry. You want to try to appear as normal as you can and doing Quidditch is a great way to do that._

Harry shifted his gaze between Cho or Padma as he said, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try out."

At once quiet murmuring broke out amongst the students listening.

It was two weeks later, during the last weekend of September that Harry found himself standing on the Quidditch field with all of the other first year boys looking up at the older students. Harry let out a deep breath he hadn't realized he was holding as the Quidditch captain was talking about the glory of Ravenclaw's house and the rules for the game. Several of the older students were looking down at the team captain as if he didn't belong.

"Quidditch is played with seven players on the field. Three Chasers, two Beaters, a Keeper, and a Seeker. Each of them has jobs that will help us win, with the most important being the Seeker. If they catch the golden snitch, the team will score one hundred and fifty points. My name is Roger Davies and I'm the Ravenclaw Team Captain." Almost as soon as this announcement was made, several of the older students began to chuckle. Roger, glaring at each of them in turn, marched straight up to the largest one without a beat. "I am the the _captain_. Professor Flitwick saw fit to give a third year the job since this team hasn't been up to snuff for years now." Roger reached up and jabbed a finger into the tallest and biggest of the ones that had chuckled. "And I decide who makes _my _team!"

Almost at once the older students snapped shut but were giving Roger a distasteful look.

"We are building for the future with this team. Don't expect to make the team just because you were on it last year. Now, I want to make sure everyone knows how to fly so I want everyone to hop on their brooms and fly around the pitch." Rogers barked out in a yell.

Harry hopped onto the school broom he was using and rose into the air with the older students. Of all of the first years, only Goldstein was able to get his broom off of the ground. But almost the moment that happen, Goldstein's broom began to rotate in place. Roger Davies kept a straight face as this happen, but almost all of the first years and any one watching in the stands began to laugh. Goldstein panicked as the broom began to veer to the right. Suddenly he was spinning in place and let out a large yell.

Harry turned to look at the stands. He could see people from almost every house watching with interest. So much so in fact, that it looked like the pitch was filled to capacity. With a soft sigh, Harry willed his broom forward and began his circle around the pitch. The rest of the people trying out for the team followed behind Harry.

It turned out that Rogers wanting to see if everyone could fly was well worth it. Besides Goldstein's inability at the beginning, several of those trying apparently also knew little on what to do with a broom. Several people would yell out if people flew too close to them, would suddenly yell out as there brooms dipped down, and quite a few ended up crashing into the stands. All of these to the very apparent enjoyment of the crowd.

Harry was the only first year to finish. But around three dozen total students had completed the first test.

"Okay. Now I'm going to split us up into two groups. I want this side," Roger waved an arm down the middle of the Ravenclaws still trying out and indicated his right side. "to go to one end of the pitch and the other side to go to the other end. This is a rather simple task like flying around the pitch. These two groups will be flying at each other. Your goal is to break apart and demonstrate you know how to fly into traffic. Oh, and I don't want anyone flying higher than a couple of feet off the ground."

Harry and his group flew to the north end of the pitch as the other group went to the south end. Once Rogers signaled for the two to go, both ends of the pitch erupted in speed. It became quickly apparent as to who had the faster brooms as those broke ahead of their groups. This was testing instinct and reflexes on a broom.

Harry flew into the swarm of students and had to spin quickly to dodge a foot that went flying towards his head from the opposite direction. He allowed instinct to take over as he wheeled, spun, dived, and rose above the chaos of what was happening.

Almost as soon as it started, Harry was free of the chaos in the middle of the pitch and was racing towards the opposite end of the Quidditch pitch. Harry turned around to see almost half the staring number was now on the ground nursing bruises and cuts. Harry circled around the pitch once before he landed next to the others still making the cut. Cho stood next to him, a rather nasty bruise forming on her cheek.

Cho was all smiles though.

Rogers wiped his brow as he said, "Okay. Now that I've thinned out the pack we can start on positions... There are still seventeen of you. I want those that want to play Seeker to step forward."

Cho and a handful of other Ravenclaws stepped forward.

Rogers moved to a large trunk and opened it. Reaching down he unlatched a golden ball with wings that flew into the air like a humming bird. "What are you waiting for? Catch it."

Cho was the only one who jumped onto her broom without hesitation and chased after the golden ball that quickly vanished from Harry's sight. The rest of those trying out for Seeker followed Cho's example.

Rogers smiled as he returned to the group. He glanced up into the sky at the Seekers, most of them simply circling the pitch as they looked for the snitch. Rogers turned to the tryouts. "Okay. Those who will be playing Beater, step forward."

Four older boys and a girl stepped forward. Harry hesitated for a moment before he also stepped forward. Murmuring in the crowd suddenly rose suddenly.

"Hmm..." Rogers glanced at Harry, as if he was sizing him up. Harry knew he wasn't the strongest, the fastest, or even the biggest kid on the pitch, but the title of Beater had a nice sound to it in Harry's ears. "I wouldn't think a First year would make it so far... Anywho," Rogers shrugged as he went back to the chest. He pulled out six clubs. He tossed one to each of them. "I want you guys to try to hit the Seekers. They look a little too comfortable flying circles up there. Spread a little anarchy for me. If I call you down, that means you didn't make the team."

Rogers unleashed two large round black balls that sped up into the air. In an arc, both balls went in different directions as they descended back down. Two of the older students with bludger bats raced towards them. The first one was easily the biggest kid Harry had ever seen at Hogwarts. He arm back and whacked one of the balls into the air, towards those trying out for Seeker. Harry couldn't help but smirk as the tall boy that Rogers had picked out earlier was the other one who raced after the other bludger.

He did not have the same success as the first guy.

As he brought his arm back to hit the ball, his grip on his broom was too loose and his hand slipped. With a soft 'thud' noise, the bludger rammed into the boys side and bounced off. The bludger changed direction slightly and began to circle back around to hit the boy again.

Harry pushed off of the ground and sped towards the bludger. He felt a rush he usually hadn't felt any of the other times he had flown. Gripping the bat in his right hand tightly, Harry lowered his body closer to the broom for more speed. Harry brought back his right arm and swung the bat with all of his might as it raced closer to the seventh year boy.

Harry felt the impact of the bludger against the bat reverberate up his arm as the bat and bludger connected. With keen eyes, Harry watched as the bludger shot up into the air with alarming speed. One of the tryout Seekers, who wasn't paying attention, missed the bludger flying towards them. There was a large collective intake of air from the stands as the boy, a fourth year, didn't even see it coming. One moment he was on his broom, and the next, his body began to fall with a loud yell of pain.

Harry watched as Cho and Rogers, who had mounted his broom and taken off faster than Harry realized, both caught the boy at the same time. In a combined effort, they lowered the boy at a steady pace back to the ground. Harry watched as the same bludger he had hit before change its direction and was coming back down for another strike. Gravity was making it move faster.

Harry rushed forward without thinking again, acting on instinct. The ball was only a couple of feet now, no more than two, before it was going to impact Cho. Harry felt his arm hit the ball more than he thought about what he was doing. The bludger was now in a different arch, this time flying towards more of the seekers in the sky.

"Blimey Harry. I didn't want you to hit anyone." Rogers said in a panicked voice as he lowered the boy down onto the ground. "Just scare them a bit."

"Yeah... well..." Harry began. He held the bat awkwardly in his right hand as he looked up into the sky. The Seekers were now paying more attention to the bludgers than trying to find the Snitch. The ones trying out as Beaters were now herding the Seekers around with the Bludgers.

"It is Sampson's fault. He was more interested in finding the Snitch than the game itself." Cho said, as she sent Harry a glance.

"I didn't mean to knock him off his broom." Harry began. It was true... but it felt good to Harry when he did it.

"Oh, don't worry about that Harry. You've made the team in only two hits with that bat." Rogers said before he began calling out for someone to get Madame Pompfrey. He then turned his head back to the sky. "Can you two watch out after Sampson. I've gotta go put a team together." Rogers shot up off of his broom, flying into the middle of the Seeker tryouts and began yelling out for some of those on brooms to go back to the ground.

"That was a nice hit Harry." Cho said. Harry turned to look at her.

"Thanks... I suppose." Harry said as he turned to look back into the sky. One of the Beaters came flying down to the chest. Pushing something on it, the two black Bludgers came speeding down. With a loud 'clang' both balls fell into place in the box. The Beater, Harry realized it was a boy in Cho's year, slid something into place that locked the Bludgers into the chest. The boy gripped his broom as he ran over to Cho and Harry.

"So Rogers said you made the team Harry. I'm Jason Samuels. Rogers just said I'm the other Beater." began the boy. Harry looked at him. Jason was a third year who looked so heavy that there was no way a broom should have ever been able to hold him. But it did. Not only that, but he was fast as well. He had dark brown curls that was quite obvious he had been growing out for a time as they had begun to frame his face.

Harry felt a brush of air run behind him. Turning, he watched as Cho shot across the pitch. Almost at once, every single tryout Seeker in the sky shot down in the direction Cho was flying.

"SNITCH!" Someone yelled from the crowds.

Harry looked and saw it this time. It had been hovering near the southern end of the pitch at the bottom of the three goal posts on that side. Harry watched the scene unfold as Cho was easily the first one to the goal posts. She grabbed the Golden Snitch just as the rest of the tryouts had nearly reached the ground. With a collective grown from all of them, Cho held the Snitch up triumphantly.

"My dear? Just what happen here?" said a voice Harry had never heard before.

"He was knocked off his broom by a Bludger, Madame Pomfrey." Said Jason.

Madame Popfrey let out an overly dramatic breath before she pulled out her wand and began waving it over Sampson. Every now and then Harry could make out a soft mumbling of "Barbaric... Children... Dangerous..." from the medi-witch.

Cho landed beside Harry and Jason, a large smile on her face. "I made the team!" She said as she wrapped one arm around Harry and one arm around Jason, pulling them into a group hug. "I can't wait to owl my parents!"

Jason and Cho began discussing the upcoming Quidditch season at once as all three began watching Rogers split the rest of the remaining tryouts into groups. They now were tossing red balls at each other. If someone dropped a ball, Rogers sent them off the pitch. It was quickly apparent that this activity wasn't nearly as interesting for the crowd as taunting began. Mostly from the Slytherins, but with the Gryffindors also jumping in occasionally. Harry didn't pay them any mind as Rogers was left with only half a dozen of tryouts.

Rogers had each of them take a Quaffle and throw it at the hoops, occasionally telling one of them to go play Keeper. He kept this up for fifteen minutes, watching them as they did so. He flew around, and one by one named who made the team for what position.

Harry's new teammates was Grant Page, another second year, who is the new Keeper. Jeremy Stretten and Randolph Burrow were both fourth years and were the final members, the last two Chasers.

"Alright. Great tryout people!" Rogers stood facing the group, the team having formed a semi circle to face him. "Great flying and great hustle. I think our little show today made the other houses worried." He smirked as he seemed to be picking out the Quidditch players in the surrounding stadium that were slowly becoming less and less populous as it came closer to dinner time. "We will have practice every Tuesday and Thursday after dinner."

"Hey! Tuesday nights are when the Charms Club meets!" began Jason.

"Sacrifices must be made for Quidditch. The game always comes first. Always." Rogers said, looking at each of them in turn.


	11. Book1 Chap11 A Wizard's Duel

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.

**AN: ** I'm responding to a review I got this past week. It questioned the logic of using titles such as "Lord" when referencing Harry and Sirius during their trips to Gringrotts. Sirius introduces himself that way and I meant to have the goblin respond back mockingly. I simply forgot to do that. Also, the toad bit was a good catch. I will over look many small things and probably have several typos as I write this all myself without anyone reading over my shoulder.

Another uplaod coming shortly after this one.

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 11 – A Wizard's Duel**

Harry suddenly found himself popular in a different way now. He wasn't just the Boy-Who-Lived anymore. He was now the youngest Quidditch Player in a Century. It was made quite clear to him that he had made a drastic mistake in taking Sirius' advice the night of tryouts. He had taken his seat closest to the professors at the end of the Ravenclaw table when Jason sat down across from him.

"Man, those tryouts left me starving." said Jason as he reached around the table and began shuffling food, without looking, onto his plate. Without pausing, the boy picked up a fork and began shuffling food into his mouth. Harry watched in fascination. It looked like the boy wasn't breathing, only pushing more and more food into his mouth.

Harry almost fell out of his seat when he felt arms wrap around him from behind. "Oh Harry! You made the team! I just knew you would." It was Padma Patil.

"Careful Padma. You don't want to hurt our new poster boy!" Cho took the seat next to Jason, pausing to give the bigger boy a look of slight disgust.

"I wouldn't dream of hurting Harry..." Padma took the seat left open next to Harry.

"I hardly think a girl as beautiful as you could hurt anyone." Said Roger Davies as he took the seat next to Padma.

And then it happen. The entire Ravenclaw Quidditch team sat together, the only technical outsider being Padma within their ranks, but no one seemed to mind. Harry realized that this is what Sirius had wanted. He heard his Godfather's voice in the back of his head. _"No one will expect you if you make an effort to get accepted. It's the quiet ones that people talk about."_

Harry watched as Anthony Goldstein took a seat further down from the group, a sour look on his face. He kept sending longing looks towards Padma.

The next day Harry sat in the library at a table with Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom. "You were great out there Harry. I couldn't believe it when you hit the ball with your bat like that." Hermione said excitedly.

"It's just a silly game Hermione. I wouldn't read too much into it." Said Harry as he looked past Hermione at the Forbidden Section. It was the one part of the castle that Harry wasn't allowed near, and it bothered him. He felt a need to know just why that section was Forbidden. The third corridor was off limits for a reason as well, but Harry didn't find that nearly as interesting as the knowledge being kept from him.

"I think brooms in general are silly to be honest with you, Harry." Hermione said, a slight blush forming on her cheeks.

Harry smiled, just as he was taught to. "Oh, I'll agree with that."

"What?" It was the first time he heard Neville speak since first meeting the boy on the Hogwarts Express. After the broom fiasco, he would only be seen speaking with Hermione in a quiet voice. Apparently Professor Snape had begun to call on the boy for every question, gleefully taking points from Gryffindor every time Neville got the answered wrong; which he got every time. "But you are a natural flyer. I'd give anything to have your skill out there Harry!"

Harry looked at Neville and shrugged. "Hardly seems worth doing once you know how to Apparate."

"See Neville? It's exactly like I told you. Not everyone thinks flying is the best way to travel." Hermione said in her bossy tone.

Neville let out a deep sigh as he grabbed a Herbology book and opened it to a random page with a huff of frustration. Harry noted that Neville was rather pudgy, as if he had been handed everything in life and hadn't ever worked for anything. Looking at his own hands for a moment, Harry knew that although Sirius always tried to provide for him that he still worked hard to get where he was. He had to if he didn't want to end up in a place like Azkaban prison.

Hermione gave Neville a sideways look as she pulled Harry close and whispered into his ear. "He's upset because Malfoy took a Remembrall that he dropped during our flying lesson. Malfoy keeps pulling it out now whenever he see's Neville."

"Now, now Granger. It's not nice to talk about someone behind their back."

Harry and Hermione turned to see Draco standing with his arms cross, a smug look on his face, as Crabbe and Goyle stood behind him in much the same pose in an effort of looking intimidating.

"Hello, Draco." Harry said calmly, as he turned to look back at the book he had been studying. From the corner of his eye he saw Neville's face quickly turning red.

"Don't use my name like we are friend's _Potter_!" Draco stated.

"I'm just being friendly Draco..." Harry said. "I happen to think we could be great friends if you weren't so rude all the time."

"What do you want Malfoy?" Asked Hermione, the bossy tone in her voice in full force.

"Oh, nothing really." Draco reached into his robes and pulled out a small glass ball from his robes. "Just my Remembrall told me I had forgotten to do something today. Thought I could ask Longbottom for assistance in _remembering_."

"Leave him alone Malfoy!" Hermione said quickly and much too loud for the library. Several shushing noises issued from all over the library.

"Maybe you should give Granger's lessons about respecting her superiors _Potter_." Draco sneered.

"SUPERIOR?" Hermione stood up so quickly that her chair fell backwards and hit the ground loudly.

"It's understandable that you wouldn't understand, having parents as muggles and everything." Draco said cooly, who looked as his nails casually.

"Leave her alone, Malfoy." Said Neville suddenly, his hands forming fists.

"Now, now Longbottom. You shouldn't be associating with lot like this. You're a Pure Blood after all." Draco said, crossing his arms again with a mischievous smile on his face.

"Just... Leave us alone Malfoy." Neville said with a shaky voice as his fists slowly deflated.

Harry let out a soft sigh. From the corner of his eye, he could already see Madam Pince, the school librarian, making her way towards them. "I think I'll find somewhere else to study." Harry stated as he picked up the book concerning animal transfiguration from the table he had been reading.

"Sounds like a good idea _Potter_." Draco said. He had spotted Madam Pince as well. He lead Crabbe and Goyle away, a large smile on his face as he did so.

"You three must be quiet. This is a library. Not a common room." Madam Pince said in her stern voice as soon as she was standing before them as Hermione retook her seat.

"My apologies Madam Pince. We will try to be more quieter." Harry said.

Hermione and Neville sat in silence, both of them staring at their books. It was apparent neither was reading. Harry took his seat again and opened his book back up.

"Why are you so civil towards Malfoy, Harry?" asked Hermione after a few minutes had passed.

"By responding to his taunts you give him more reason to taunt you. He hardly mentioned anything to me because I do not engage him." Harry stated matter of factually.

An hour later Harry, Hermione, and Neville walked out of the library. The two Gryffindors were rather subdued for the rest of the time they were there. Neither had flipped the pages of there books during that entire period and just stared at them as if they had other things on their minds.

Lunch time was approaching and many of the students were making their way towards the Great Hall. The corridor they were traveling down was busy with students from every house heading in the same direction. _He'd want me not to get angry. To use Occlumency to keep my mind in check. To make sure that I stayed hidden... that I'd never get caught. He wouldn't want me to pick fights with other students. He'd want me to let it go. Sirius wants..._

But Harry didn't finish his thought. He suddenly felt his foot get caught on something and a hand on his back suddenly pushing him forward. Harry hit the wall of the corridor and fell down awkwardly on his ankle.

"Careful where you are going _Potter_. Superior wizards are walking by."

It was Draco.

Only Draco would have the nerve to do that.

Harry pushed himself up off of the ground, a soft throbbing pain in his right ankle. Harry hadn't realized it, but he had drawn his wand.

"What are you going to do with that?" Draco asked, glancing down at Harry's wand.

"I'm thinking about using it." Harry said.

It was suddenly quiet. Everyone in the corridor had stopped and had began to form a circle around Harry and Draco. Hermione and Neville stood beside Harry while Draco had Crabbe and Goyle with him.

"Harry, you can't. Remember what you told me Harry. You are only giving Malfoy a reason to continue being a bully to us." Hermione said. "You'll get in _trouble_ for using magic in the corridors."

"Better listen to Granger, _Potter_. No one wants to see Ravenclaws new Beater in detention." Draco said, as he began pushing a hand into his robes. "Everyone knows that I can take you _Potter._ Maybe later tonight, in a Wizard's duel. Wands only."

"No." Harry said dryly. Draco smiled. Hermione let out a sigh of relief. "I think we will have that duel right now."

Harry heard Sirius voice in the back of his head. _Rule number one, don't get caught._

Several of the students began to murmur excitedly. Hermione was talking into Harry's ear, trying to urge him not to, but Harry couldn't hear her. His focus was on one two things. His wand and Draco Malfoy.

Harry saw a twitch from Draco's arm and responded. _"Depilo_!" Harry roared quickly as he flicked his wand at Draco. From the tip of Harry's wand, a soft yellow light sprung from its tip. Draco let out a startled grunt as the curse hit him. Pausing for a moment, Draco looked around in panic.

Nothing happen.

Then slowly, everyone stared on as a strand of hair fell from Draco's head.

Then another.

And another.

Slowly, the hair from Draco's head began to fall out much like a tree looses its leaves for winter. At once, laughter erupted from the entire hallways as every pointed at Draco.

"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?" Came the roar of an adult. Professor Snape, to be exact.

"Sir, Potter just cursed me." Draco cried out, as he fell to his knees and began gathering his hair into a neat pile, even as it continued to fall out. Crabbe and Goyle stood motionless, watching with dumbfounded expressions.

"Potter, detention. For a month. Follow me." Professor Snape barked. He turned for a beat before he turned back towards Draco. With a flick of Professor Snape's wand, Draco yelped. Draco's hair was growing back. But much too quickly. It now fell well passed his shoulders when it stopped growing back.

"Sir, I believe Draco has property that belongs to Neville Longbottom." Harry stated, he hadn't moved and still had his wand trained on Draco.

"I seriously doubt any of my students would steal, Potter. That is five points for falsely accusing a student of breaking school rules." Professor Snape said, advancing on Harry until he hovered over him. "And another fifteen points for misuse of magic in the corridors."


	12. Book1 Chap12 Troll

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.

**AN: **I've finished the second book, by the way. It is shorter than the first one was but I pressed on until it was finished. It was actually why I was slow to update this past week.

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 12 - Troll**

The following weeks went by in a blur. Harry had very little free time by the beginning of October. If Harry wasn't in class he was either serving detentions or practicing quidditch. Quite often he had hardly no time to do his homework or study. It didn't help that the one unified first years in Ravenclaw were beginning to splinter off into groups.

Harry hated to admit it, but having several voices at a table discussing magic was quite frankly just as good as in class study time. But yet, certain individuals were always seen sitting together in class and at lunch. The study sessions quickly became time to goof off in between classes. The first year Ravenclaws weren't the only ones experiencing this though.

It wasn't hard to notice that Hermione and Neville didn't seem to get along with the other Gryffindors and were often ridiculed by them. The Slytherin hierarchy had been established quite quickly and it was apparent that Draco was in charge; the rest of the first years of the house either fell in line with him or stayed out of the way. The Hufflepuffs put up a face of togetherness, but even then it was apparent that certain people would still sit near each other.

It was during the second week of October that Harry was met with a surprise. He had just sat down for breakfast when the morning post flew in. The usual loud conversations came to a silent murmur as six owls flew into the Great Hall with a slender parcel being carried as a team. The murmuring grew louder when the six owls landed in front of Harry. Harry didn't even get a chance to watch the half dozen owls fly off since another owl had flown in and dropped a letter on his head.

Harry ripped open the envelope.

"_I hope you like it Harry! Best broom on the market! It's a Nimbus Two Thousand. I would have personally opened the package first, but it's fine if you didn't Harry. I'm very proud that you have joined some extracurricular activities. I'm looking forward to seeing your first game of the season. _

_ Your favorite Godfather,_

_ Sirius Black"_

Harry glanced up to see that the entire Ravenclaw quidditch team was approaching his seat. After tucking the envelope into his robes, Harry grabbed a piece of toast and the broom and walked past his team.

"Oye, Potter. Whattcha got there?" Asked Jason excitedly.

"New broom I hope. School brooms are quite bad. Too many first year accidents." said Grant Page.

Harry stopped and turned around, half the school had followed the Ravenclaw quidditch team out of the Great Hall. Harry gave the note to Cho, whose eyes read out the most important detail: Nimbus Two Thousand.

"Wow Harry! We are sure to win now that you have that broom." Cho said excitedly.

Nearly two months had passed since Harry began school at Hogwarts. And it was quite bothersome. The classes were getting more interesting now, but the school work had doubled. This wouldn't have been a problem if it wasn't for the fact that detentions with Professor Snape would last nearly until midnight. Harry felt exhausted almost every day and didn't even have weekends since he'd have to catch up on home work then. Quidditch practice three nights a week, detentions everyday, and homework.

Hermione was obviously upset that Harry did not take his own advice when it came to Draco Malfoy. She would go a few days of not speaking to him and then come to him to give him a stern talking to about rule breaking in the middle of the Great Hall at dinner.

It was on Halloween day, that after Transfiguration Harry sat in the courtyard with Padma Patil with a couple of matches between them.

"I just can't seem to get this, Harry." Padma said, a sad look on her face and defeat in her voice.

"It isn't that hard Padma. You simply raise your wand, give it a slight flick and..." Harry paused mid sentence and watched as Hermione Granger ran across the courtyard, tears clearly evident in her eyes.

Padma turned and followed Harry's gaze. "I wonder who caused that... Neville?"

And sure enough, Neville was seen chasing after her. He was winded though and lost her around a corner. Wheezing, he took the seat that was open on the bench next to Padma.

"What happen Neville? Why was Hermione crying?" asked Padma at once.

"That _stupid git_ Ron Weasley and Seamus Finnigan were making fun of her. Her and Ron were partnered up in Charms. Ron couldn't do the levitating charm and Hermione tried to tell him what he was doing wrong." Neville paused and took a deep breath before he continued. "So afterwords the two started making fun of her. Saying she didn't have any friends and that is annoying. Ron had been making snide comments all through out class though. Seamus just jumped in right with Ron, even after she started to cry."

"Oh, that is horrible!" began Padma. She saw the rest of the Gryffindor boys come into the courtyard, laughing and elbowing each other in the sides. She narrowed her eyes at them. "Someone should stand up to those bullies."

Neville looked at Harry at once, as if the young Gryffindor expected Harry to do something.

"I'm sure the teachers will do something about it." Harry said casually. He waved his wand, said the incantation, and turned a match into a shiny needle without looking up.

"Are you sure, Harry?" asked Neville quickly, he was now also eying his fellow house mates in a look that was clearly meant to express his disdain with them.

"After serving a months worth of detention... Yeah. I'm sure."

"Why don't you practice transfiguration with Harry? I'm sure you need the help just as much as I do." Said Padma as she moved to make room for Neville on the bench.

Neville blushed and nodded his head as he pulled out his wand.

"Actually... I'm sorry Neville but I've got my last detention with Snape this afternoon and I still have that essay on vampires to do for Professor Quirrel."

Neville's shoulders slumped. "Oh... Alright then. I'll see you at the Feast then."

Harry waved good bye and made his way into the dungeons. He passed a group of third years who must obviously have just gotten out of class because they all looked annoyed and angry with what had just happen.

Harry knocked on the Potion's classroom door before he entered. He wasn't surprised to see the Weasley twins scrubbing the floor with sponges.

"Aw, Potter. You're late. I do believe that will be ten points from Ravenclaw for tardiness." Said Professor Snape with a sneer. His arms were crossed and he was looking down at the twins. "These two thought it would be funny to create a potion during my class period that sprayed out of their cauldron like a fountain when the bell rang. I thought that after making such a mess in my classroom that they would enjoy cleaning it... And I do believe that will be another ten points from Gryffindor for missing a spot, Weasley."

"Which one?" asked one of the twins.

"Good point, Weasley. Another ten points from Gryffindor since I'm not sure who made the mistake." Professor Snape sneered again at the look of anger that flashed across both of the twins. "Potter, I was going to have you slice slugs... but I think you might enjoy meeting some of your competition this year in Quidditch. The Weasley twins also play Beater for Gryffindor." Professor Snape raised his wand and gave it a wave. Another sponge appeared beside the twins. "I do hope you hurry or you might miss the Feast. Of course, you're not allowed the use of magic to complete this punishment."

Harry sighed but didn't say anything as he grabbed the sponge and began helping the Weasley twins clean. The three of them scrubbed the entire classroom. Every crevice and and under every desk. Harry had to admit that it was impressive that the Weasley twins were able to get the potion to actually hit what seemed like every part of the classroom. By the time they were finished, Harry knew he smelled like whatever potion the twins had made and the cleaning supplies given to them by Professor Snape.

"Well well, done just in time it appears. Well, I do hope you enjoy the feast." said Professor Snape as he waved his wand and made the sponges and bucket disappear.

The Weasley twins hopped up and ran out of the classroom before Harry had even stood up.

Harry decided that he didn't feel like going to the Feast though. His homework had been piling up and he knew that he'd be lucky to get it all done this weekend. So he went to the library.

No one was at the library except for a few of the older students, all seventh years and mostly Ravenclaws, who obviously had attended the Halloween Feast so much that it had lost its appeal. Harry sat down at a table by himself and began cracking books open concerning vampires.

Harry felt like he had just finished the essay to Professor Quirrel's standards. He was sure he would get an 'O' for it. Putting the books on the return cart, Harry eyed the Restricted Section. It was the one part of the library he could not go and the one part he wanted to go the most.

Glancing at Madam Pince for a moment, Harry turned his attention to the section and slowly moved towards it. Harry saw that the only thing cutting the section off from the rest of the library was a thin red rope which held the restricted section sign.

"Excuse me, Mr. Potter, but I'm sure you can still make the Feast if you leave now." said Madam Pince. Harry hadn't heard her approach him and she was now hovering over him.

Harry hesitated for a moment before he offered a thin smile and a nod of his head.

As he left the library, Harry figured she was right and he could catch the end of the feast, at least dessert. His stomach had been grumbling.

A scream pierced the silence of the corridors suddenly.

It was one that startled him and caused his blood to quicken and for his fists to clench. Reaching into his robes, he quickly grabbed a hold of his wand and felt a calm wash over him at the feel of its comfortable grip. Gritting his teeth, Harry felt that he was arguing with himself.

One wanted to give into curiosity and see what made the noise, to see what was causing it. _Another part of him wanted to run. _

And ran Harry did.

Towards the noise; his feet echoing off of the stone floors. Rounding a corner he came onto a hallway he had yet to explore yet. Harry felt his adrenaline running throughout his body and it made him feel like he was in complete realization of his environment; that anything he wanted was within his grasp.

At the end of the hall, Harry saw that there was a door that was ripped off of it hinges and laid on the ground lopsided. Running down the hall as fast as he could and moving into the doorway, Harry griped his wand tighter.

Harry watched at the ugliest creature he had seen in his entire life. It had a gray tint to its skin and was rather large and muscular, easily as tall as the grounds keeper Hagrid. It's head looked far too small for its body. _Troll_ Harry thought, as it swung a large wooden and chipped club at a bathroom stall causing it to smash and splinter into bits. Harry watched as a girl crawled out from under one of the doors of the bathroom stalls to under a sink.

It was Hermione. She did not look up at the doorway as she took refuge under the sink. Curling up into the fetal position, Hermione let out soft sobs and cried out for someone to help.

With a downward flick and swish of his wand at the troll, Harry called _"Locomotor Mortis_!" out.

The troll's legs shot together, just as Harry wanted. It wobbled, as if it wasn't able to gain its balance as it let out a mighty roar. Turning quicker than Harry thought for its size, the creature swung it's club at Harry lazily.

Harry fell backwards, the wind from the club telling him it missed just by inches as the club crashed into the side of the door frame; shaking the very ground.

The troll apparently fought off the curse as it took an unsteady step towards Harry. A large piece of drool was rolling out of the side of the creatures mouth as it had a cruel grin on its face. The troll raised it's club over its head, its intention clear all over its horrific face. It wanted to hurt Harry. _To kill Harry_!

Harry glanced at the toppled door and acted without thinking. _"Flipendo!"_ The door shot straight at the trolls head at lightning speed, flying over Harry's head.

With a crash, the door splintered and shattered as it collided with the trolls face. Harry watched as the trolls grip on the club loosened and the club connected with the trolls head and then fell to the floor harmlessly. The troll, for its part, looked at Harry with an even stupider look on its face that Harry had not thought possible just moments ago. Reaching up to its head with one hand, the troll felt its head gently. Pulling its hand away, the trolls hand was covered in a blue slime.

It let our a roar of anger, mightier and more frightening than the last roar.

"_Flipendo!"_ Harry yelled back in response, again.

The club shot forward, right at the trolls left foot. With a sick crunch and another roar of pain, the troll fell to the ground, reaching down to grab a hold of it's foot. It looked up at Harry, anger and something else in its eyes. It took Harry a moment to realize what it was.

_Fear._

Harry felt alive. Like the world was at his finger tips. That everything he had ever wanted was about to come to fruition. The troll has tried to kill a student... _It had to be punished!_

Harry swished and flicked his wand at the club. "_Wingardium Leviosa."_ The club rose steadily into the air, higher and higher.

"HARRY POTTER!"

Harry kept his body straight and his focus on the troll. The club was hovering over the trolls head now, a good meter off of the ground. Flicking his wand down, he sent the club speeding down towards the troll's head.

"Harry Potter! _Stop!"_

Harry felt the club pulled from his grasp. Whipping around, with his wand raised, Harry found himself facing half of the teaching staff at Hogwarts. All of them with their wands out and pointed in his direction.

Albus Dumbledore stood, his wand aimed at the club as he lowered it slowly away from the troll. Professors Snape and McGanagall stared at Harry with calculating eyes. Professor Flitwick stared at the troll, as if he had never found anything more interesting. Professor Quirrel fainted.

"Potter, just what do you think you were doing?" Asked Professor McGonagall sternly.

"Yes, why aren't you with your house in their dorms?" Professor Snape asked in an accusing tone.

"I was coming back from the library when I heard a noise." Harry said as he watched Professor Snape stare into his eyes. Harry met his gaze and felt tendrils begin to brush his mind.

"What kind of noise did you hear, Harry?" Asked Professor Flitwick as he flicked his wand casually at the troll, stunning it.

"Troll."

"So you heard the announcement about the troll and decided to go hunting it?" Asked Professor Snape. Harry felt the tendrils all strike at once against his mind.

"I didn't know about the troll. I had been in the library studying." said Harry as he felt the tendrils all begin striking at once. With a grimace Harry realized Snape had been toying with him before. Professor Snape could break down his shields if he wanted to.

"Studying? Tonight? But it was the Halloween Feast!" Proclaimed Professor McGonagall in shock.

"I was trying to catch up in my studies..." Harry began. He stared at Professor Snape intently, he tried to push the potions master away, but the older wizard was far more experienced that Harry.

A quiet sob escaped the bathroom suddenly, stopping the conversation. Professor Dumbledore rushed pass Harry, the rest of the teachers in his wake, rushing into the bathroom. Only Professor Snape stayed where he initially stood.

Professor McGonagall raised a hand to her chest and let out a loud gasp. "Hermione Granger? What are you doing here?"

"I... I... I..." Hermione began as she was now standing beside one of the destroyed bathroom stalls.

"When I found the troll, it was going into the bathroom." Harry said as casually as he could. It was moments, Harry knew it. Even worse, Professor Snape knew it. The tendrils were too many and Harry was losing this battle

And then the tendrils stopped.

Professor Dumbledore stepped in front of Professor Snape, breaking Harry's eye contact with the potion master. All of the tendrils withdrew from Harry's mind the moment before he knew his Occlumency shields were going to fall. The Headmaster had a small smile on his face though, his eyes twinkling as he looked at Harry with a bit of curiosity.

"What on earth were you thinking of Miss Granger?" Said Professor McGonagall as she now hovered over Hermione, looking down on the first year. Harry couldn't recall ever seeing an adult so angry before. "You're lucky you weren't killed! Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Hermione opened her mouth, and for the first time in the short period Harry had known her realized that she was speechless.

"Does it really matter Professor? What's done is done. Hermione wasn't at the Halloween Feast." Harry said defiantly.

Professor Flitwick circled the troll a few times before he began examining the splinters of the ruined bathroom door.

Professor McGonagall turned her head and stared at Harry in disbelieve. "Excuse me Mr. Potter? You have something you wanted to add."

"Hermione wasn't at the Feast. Why press the topic?" Said Harry, staring at his transfiguration teacher with as much authority as he could muster.

"Surely there is a reason why a student wouldn't want..."

"I think that is enough, Minerva." Said Professor Dumbledore suddenly.

"Surely we want to know why the young misguided Miss Granger wasn't at the Feast..." began Professor Snape.

"Lets just leave it at a series of unfortunate events that could have been even much more unfortunate if young Harry here did not have detention with you today, Severus, and had not fallen behind in his studying."

"Surely points are to be given out, Professor Dumbledore?" Asked Professor Flitwick suddenly. Professor Flitwick in front of the troll, with his arms behind his back as he nodded at Harry with a small smile on his face.

"Points? For dumb luck Professor Flitwik? You can't be serious." Began Professor McGonagall, shaking her head and crossing her arms.

"The boy appears to have used several spells to conquer a foe that is resistant to magic. Not an easy task for a first year that has only been in school for a mere two months. Why, we haven't even gone over the levitation charm in his class yet! But as I am sure Professor Dumbledore will agree, it was expertly cast and used in a highly stressful situation."

"Potter has shown a certain pattern of being ahead of his peers..." Began Professor Snape. "Too far in fact."

"I do believe that the boy will even out shine you in a few years, Professor Dumbledore." Said Professor Flitwick appraisingly. "I think twenty points are in order for Mr. Potter. Showing intelligence, bravery, and the _will_ to defeat a troll."


	13. Book1 Chap13 Quidditch

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.

**AN: **So yeah... October was a busy month for me... November is simmering down though. Sorry about the lack of updates, I think I'll do three today! Taking some liberties with some quidditch teams, but I just don't feel like making up new characters that would graduate in a year in the series.

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 13 - Quidditch**

Harry Potter felt like an idiot.

Boy-who-lived.

Youngest quidditch player in a century.

Conqueror of trolls.

The news of the events of Halloween night spread so fast that by the time that Harry showed up for breakfast the next day, he received a standing ovation from both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor houses. Hermione smiled at him, blushing as Neville sat next to her with a dumbstruck look on his face. The Weasley twins danced a jig on their house table. The first year Ravenclaws started chanting Harry's name.

Harry Potter felt like an _idiot_.

Harry suddenly found himself sitting with the sixth year Ravenclaws. It would have been a nice change from the first years in Ravenclaw if they didn't keep trying to show him off to the other houses.

One particularly nasty sixth year from Ravenclaw actually tried to change Harry into a handbag so that she could show him off to all of her friends.

Thankfully, with the beginning of November brought the beginning of the Quidditch season. It was a nice distraction when the first game of the season, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin approached. The entire school began taking sides, with most of the kids rooting for Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. Harry was thankful he fell from the spotlight and quickly made sure to avoid any social gatherings.

"Well, well, well Potter. How does it feel not to be the center of attention for once?" Began Draco one day as they waited outside of the Charms classroom.

"Quite nice actually. I don't have any of those stupid fifth year Gryffindor's trying to show me off like a prize." said Harry. It was actually the truth. Just last week Harry had been dragged by several older girls to their Potions class. Professor Snape swiftly gave Harry detention for coming to the wrong class.

"Oh, please. We all know you enjoy every one fawning over you." Continued Draco.

"I'm just glad I'll miss the first Quidditch match of the season." Said Harry as he watched the older students exit the Charms classroom.

"Miss the match! Harry, whatever would you miss the first Quidditch match for?" said Terry Boot.

"Detention with Professor Snape... Although I do not believe he will be there. I think he just wanted to put me in detention." Harry said dismissively.

Harry's assumption was correct as Professor Snape had him sitting on a Saturday rubbing all of the trophies clean in the trophy room.

It was nearly two weeks later before Harry got his real taste of quidditch.

Harry and the rest of the Ravenclaw team stood in the pitch putting on protective gear for the match. Jason Samuels looked the most relaxed out of everyone Harry observed. He was the only one sitting and was eating an entire plate of bacon by himself that he had taken from the Great Hall; with a silly smile on his face as he observed his team mates. Cho Chang was pacing in circles, biting at her finger nails. Jeremy Stretton and Randolf Burrow kept tightening and loosening their shoulder guards. Grant Page stood in front of a mirror she had placed on the outside of her locker and was obsessively combing her hair. Roger Davies looked pale and was looking at a chalk board, he would start drawing quidditch plays. When he seemed to be almost half way through he shook his head and erased what he had been working on.

"Excited Harry?" Asked Jason in between two pieces of bacon.

"More anxious to begin if anything. It's the waiting that is the annoying part." Harry said in a bored tone.

"I try to eat a good meal before I do anything important." The large boy smiled at Harry as he reached for another piece of bacon.

"I couldn't eat anything this morning; I'm so nervous." Cho said with a huff as she took a seat on the bench next to Jason.

"I was too afraid to reach out to grab anything this morning. Jason over there was eating everything in sight. Thought I'd be mistaken for a pork chop." said Jeremy.

"Hey, he did try to bite me." said Randolph with a smirk as he took a seat across from Jason.

"Well... You shouldn't be going into my area at the table. You know I have a section that is clearly for me at meals. Whatever falls into that zone, is mine. We had that house meeting my first year about it." Jason said defensively.

Jeremy took a seat next to Randolph as he said, "I'm still under the believe you'll try to eat me someday."

"Oh, stop picking on Jason. He is always willing to share his pies if you ask him nicely." Said Grant without looking away from her mirror.

"Thats only because he lik..." Began Randolph before he let out a whelp. Jason had slammed the heel of his shoe into the top of Randolph's foot.

"I like to share occasionally. Yep." said Jason quickly, eyeballing Randolph with an angry glare.

"Good, we all should have something in our stomach then." Said Rogers suddenly. He turned from his chalk board and approached Jason. Grabbing a piece of bacon from the tray, he held it up. "To team unity."

"Hey, now wait a moment..." Began Jason.

"Wonderful idea Rogers." Cho grabbed a piece as well.

"Now wait a minute... That was the best piece. I was saving it for last!" objected Jason.

"Aw, you'd share with a teammate wouldn't ya mate?" said Jeremy as he grabbed a piece of bacon. Randolph grabbed a piece as well while eyeballing Jason's foot.

"I suppose it would be a nice show of team unity." said Grant with a sigh. She also grabbed a piece. Harry grabbed one as well.

"To team unity!" Rogers said, holding up his piece of bacon. He then bit into his piece. Everyone followed their captains lead.

Harry wasn't sure if everyone heard it, but Jason mumbled, "Bacon... mine... darn thieves..." in between bites of bacon, as he increased his pace of consumption as if he were afraid anyone else were going to reach and taken another strip of bacon from him.

Applause and roars broke out from the direction of the pitch suddenly. "Alright team. It's time. Don't forget what we've gone over. Harry, remember to go for their keeper. If we can get the keeper out of the game it really opens up the scoring. Jeremy and Randolph, we'll need to fly a tight formation against Hufflepuff. Cho, watch out for Diggory. He doesn't look it but the boy can fly." Said Rogers.

"WAIT! Diggory? As in Cedric Diggory?" Cho said loudly in surprise.

"Yes. He is the Hufflepuff seeker." said Grant as she grabbed her broom.

"Is that a problem Cho?" asked Rogers, a frown on his face.

"NO... I mean. No. It's not a problem... I just never thought that I might be playing against him." Cho's cheeks suddenly became flushed.

The team walked out onto the quidditch pitch to the roar of the crowd. Every where he looked he saw the colors of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. The Gryffindor's were mostly splattered with yellow while the Slytherins with blue. Glancing at the head box, he saw most of the teaching staff was there.

Even Sirius Black.

Who was currently waving perhaps the biggest flag Harry had ever seen. The worst part was that the flag had a picture of him as a baby on a small quidditch broom flying in circles around a man's legs. Harry let out a long sigh at seeing this.

Harry watched as Roger and, what Harry assumed to be, the Hufflepuff quidditch captain walked to the middle of the pitch and stood to either side of Madam Pinch. She gave a small speech about playing fair. The two boys then shook hands perhaps longer and more vigorously than was required and returned to their teams.

"That oaf has the grip of a giant, I swear it." Rogers said, rubbing the hand he shook with against his thigh. Harry glanced over at the other team to see the Hufflepuff captain with a huge smirk on his face as he glanced in their direction.

"Mount your brooms!" someone called out. Harry and the rest of the team took their positions, all of them mounting their brooms.

Harry looked over at the Hufflepuff team, analyzing them. Every player was older than the Ravenclaw team. The youngest player on the team being Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff Seeker.

With a blow of a whistle, the game began. Fifteen brooms shooting up into the air at once and chaos ensued.

"And the quaffle is taken by Jeremy Stretten of Ravenclaw. Boy can he fly... His sister is fairly pretty too."

"JORDAN!" Screeched Professor McGonagall.

"Sorry, Professor."

One of the Gryffindors was commentating the match under the watchful eye of his Head of House.

"Oh wow, look at that formation! Burrow and Stretten are flying in a tight formation that just smashes through the Hufflepuffs defenses! They are passing the quaffle between the two of them so fast, I can't tell who has it! Wait, Hufflepuff Captain Matthews gains the quaffle! Oh wow, look at Matthews fly! He shoots past the Ravenclaws and- OH wow! A nasty bludger hit from Jason Samuels stops what was probably a potential goal. Davies has the quaffle again. The entire Ravenclaw team is moving in close to him! What is this?"

Harry watched his team mates execute Davies strategy perfectly. He knew his part was coming up. Gripping the broom tightly in his left hand and his bat in his right, he lowered himself on his broom and shot off after the three chasers.

"Wow... It's the Hawkshead Attacking Formation! The Hufflepuff team is rushing to do something. Wait, Harry Potter the youngest Quidditch player in a century shoots ahead of his team! Samuels hits a bludger directly at Potter! What?"

Harry listened to the commentator and the roar of the crowd. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the chasers were slightly behind him and broke formation briefly to allow the bludger pass them. Harry brought his arm back and took aim.

"And Potter hits the bludger straight at the Hufflepuff Keeper, Herbet Fleet! Ow, that looked like a nasty hit and—Davies cocks his arm back! Keeper Fleet dives! Misses! Ravenclaw scores!"

A thunderous roar came out from the stands, the loudest from Sirius Black.

Harry turned his weight and willed the broom to change directions. At once, the broom responded and Harry did a corkscrew while at the same time turning to shoot off in the opposite direction he had been going in.

The game truly began then. Harry felt like he really was enjoying this.

Jason Samuels and Harry worked together perfectly as a beater team. Jason offered all the muscle while Harry was all about finesse. He could often fly circles around the Hufflepuff chasers hitting the same bludger at them until either it connected or one of the Hufflepuff beaters finally flew over to stop the assault.

At one point, Harry chased after a rogue bludger that was sent at Cho Chang. Cho was circling the pitch ahead, staying out of trouble but keeping an eye out for the golden snitch. Cedric Diggory was doing the same on the other side of the pitch.

"Everything all right Harry?" Asked Cho as he flew by.

"Great!" Harry grunted loudly as he flew passed the bludger and hit it with a back hand swing, changing its direction to directly in reverse of the path it had been flying.

The game below them was playing out with Hufflepuff building up offensive momentum against Ravenclaw. Harry saw a flaw in their defense from his height though.

Dipping his broom, he turned into a free fall. Willing his Numbus 2000 to fly faster, Harry chased after the Bludger he had just hit.

A collective gasp came from the crowd watching.

"Just what the bloody hell is Potter doing?" Yelled the commentator.

Harry gripped his broom with one hand as he became ever closer to the bludger shooting off at the ground. Bringing his right arm back, Harry hit the bludger with all his might, making it increase in speed. Harry hit the bludger one more time, knowing that its speed was not too great for him to keep up with it. Before he could respond, the Hufflepuff keeper Fleet was struck in his left shoulder by the full force of the bludgers momentum. There was a loud crunch and a loud collective gasp from the crowd.

"And Fleet is knocked off his broom. Anyone know what the hell Potter just did?" cried out the commentator. Fleet's body fall was stalled by Professor McGonagall. "Wow, I haven't seen a bludger hit like that since... RAVENCLAW SCORES!"

Harry smirked as he flew a full circle around the pitch. Harry glanced up at the score, 70 Ravenclaw to 40 Hufflepuff.

It was as Harry adjusted his speed to go after another bludger that it happen. Harry's broom suddenly dipped without reason. For a split second, Harry felt panic rush through his system before he felt a calm wash over him. Gripping the broom tightly with his left hand and knees, Harry willed the broom to fly up.

The broom lurched this time, as if it was trying to throw him off. Harry tried to maneuver it towards the ground, but realized something. The broom was not under Harry's control. It would not turn. It would not descend. Harry could not direct the broom. It began zigzagging in every direction. Harry often had to duck or hit a bludger that flew at him.

No one watching the game seemed to notice the problems Harry was having, the roars from the Ravenclaws as the score rose higher and higher for their side. Harry let go off his bat, to grip the broom with two hands.

"Ravenclaw scores again... and... Oh, yep. Ravenclaw is making a good effort to make sure they lock in the biggest score in the school's history. But wait! Harry Potter is drifting up! He even dropped his bat... Does he not have control of his broom?" Called out the commentator.

People were now pointing at Harry, some whispering and some yelling about what was happening. The broom was now spinning every which way while at the same time doing barrel rolls. Cho Chang and Jason Samuels flew towards him, obviously moving to try to pull Harry to safety.

"I'm fine! Win the game!" Harry called out as he was taken higher and higher. Cho and Jason glanced at each other before they went back to playing the game.

The broom suddenly went vertical, Harry slowly slid down the length of the broom. Looking over his shoulder, Harry saw that people were jostling with each other to get a better view of Harry. Sirius Black was pushing people to the side in an attempt to raise his wand up to cast a spell at Harry. He seemed to purposely push Professor Quirrel at Professor Snape to make room.

At once, Harry felt like he was falling. Gripping the broom with both hands, he realized he was back in control. Rotating his weight, Harry aimed the broom down and began flying again.

Quiet murmuring broke out at Harry's apparent recovery before it was realized the match was already over. Cedric Diggory floated next to Madam Hooch holding out the Golden Snitch.

Harry's eyes shot to the score.

"RAVENCLAW WINS! Four hundred and thirty points to one hundred and ninety points!" yelled out the commentator.

Roars from the Ravenclaws in the stands overshadowed the moans from the other three houses.

Harry flew down and joined his team at the center of the pitch.

"Sorry I didn't catch the snitch..." Began Cho.

"Nonsense! You did great. We all did great. We played a mean game against them. People are going to be talking about us now." Said Roger Davies as he pumped his arm into the air a few times to get more yells from the crowd.

"I think I've made a horrible mistake... I'm such an idiot." Harry said as he pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head sadly.

The rest of the team turned and waved to the crowd, mainly to the roaring Ravenclaw stands. Harry noticed that the quidditch pitch holding the professors and Sirius were all speaking to each other in quiet voices. Sirius caught his eye and winked at him before giving him a thumbs up.

"Harry, I... We need to talk."

Harry turned to look at Hermione Granger. "Hermione, I didn't expect to see you here. I thought you said quidditch was a barbaric sport."

She blushed slightly. Neville stood slightly behind her and was staring at Jason's large form, slowly itching away from the older boy as if he was about to be crushed.

"I... I came to support you Harry. But..." She grabbed Harry by his hand and pulled him to the side. She let go of his hand as fast as possible, as if his touch burnt her. "I think Professor Snape was jinxing your broom."

"Really?" Harry turned his head to look at the professors. Sure enough, Professor Snape was staring at him. "I've wondered why he stares at me all the time."

"So I wasn't imagining that. You two always seem to stare each other down, neither willing to blink. Why would Snape be trying to kill you Harry?" Hermione asked quickly, a bossy tone in her voice.

"I don't think he was trying to kill me. If he was... The Hufflepuff keeper was saved from a nasty fall. I'm sure I'd get the same treatment." Harry said dismissively.

"But Harry... I've read all about jinx's Harry. You have to maintain eye contact and Snape wasn't blinking."

"She's telling the truth." Neville added.

Harry winced in pain. His scar suddenly throbbed. Harry narrowed his eyes at the quidditch box holding the professors, but Professors Snape and Quirrel were now talking to each other.

"I don't believe it was Professor Snape."


	14. Book1 Chap14 Christmas With the Family

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.

**AN: **Mmm... Side story developments for later books... yay! I hope you enjoy part two of the updates for today!

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 14 – Christmas with the Family**

It seemed like the semester had just began at Hogwarts, but already the Christmas holidays were approaching. In mid-December, the inhabitants of Hogwarts awoke to find that the entire school was blanketed in several feet of snow. The Weasley twins took it upon themselves to be the first to have a snow ball fight. In the Great Hall, no less. The twins literally bewitched a snowman to enter the Great Hall and to throw snowballs at the professor. Professor Quirrel was the first to learn that the snowballs would always miss on purpose and hit you in the back of the head, after you ducked. The entire school was shocked into silence as one snowball actually struck Professor Dumbledore. But, the old professor gave out a loud chuckle before he gave the Weasley twins detention. They had to stand outside the Great Hall all weekend singing Christmas Carols in a tune in line with the slow funeral march they had done on the first night at Hogwarts.

The entire school became so much colder than it was before. The fire in the Ravenclaw common room was always going now. Hermione found a nice spell that created a ball of fire that could be kept in a jar. Harry made sure to always have one of these on him as he traveled around the school campus.

"Father says that we will be spending the holidays with family." Began Draco Malfoy, "It's so nice to have family during the holidays."

Draco was looking at Harry as he spoke. Draco still seemed to be upset about that mock duel they had earlier in the semester. He had been quiet until the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Ravenclaw was now in the lead by two hundred points in the Quidditch Cup with Slythein in second. Most of the students, even in Slytherin, agreed that it was callous to be mocking the Ravenclaw team since they so soundly defeated Hufflepuff that Draco had began to taunt Harry for not having a proper family again.

"It sounds like a nice trip Draco." Said Harry as he poked around in his flower pot. Harry found Herbology one class he did not care for. It was far too messy.

"I wasn't talking to you, Potter._" _Said Draco with a sneer from down the table.

"Yes you were. I hope you have a wonderful holiday with the family. I'm sure Sirius will make sure that there is plenty of room for you at the table." Said Harry absentmindedly as he poked the seed into the sunflower pot.

"Family... You don't mean..." Began Draco with a pitch of worry in his voice.

"That Sirius is hosting a family dinner? I spoke to him earlier today and he said he was looking forward to finally getting a good look at his cousin's son."

"It will be nice to see my parents, but it will be weird not being able to do magic." Hermione said as she looked out of the train's window. She held onto her wand with both hands, as if it were about to be pulled from her grasp.

"Gran says that the whole family is coming over... Many of them didn't think that I actually was going to make it a month in Hogwarts.." Neville said as he held his toad, Trevor, in his hands. "They actually had me enrolled at a muggle boarding school just in case."

Harry flipped the page of the book he was reading about stealth spells. He just had to find a way into the restricted section, Harry just knew there was knowledge that would be helpful to him. Harry didn't like the fact that a school would limit the knowledge students were allowed accessed to.

"What are you doing for Christmas Harry?" asked Hermione, now staring at Harry.

"Sirius is hosting a family dinner. The Malfoy's are coming over to..."

"Malfoy? As in _Draco Malfoy_?" Interrupted Neville, voicing every syllable in Draco's name.

"Sirius and Draco's mum are cousins. I believe Sirius just wants to have fun frustrating them." Harry said as he turned to another page. Harry had gone through the book before and had found it was all useless.

"Well, at least I'm free from that prat Weasley. I swear, he tries to make me cry whenever he gets the chance." Hermione said awkwardly and began casting her eyes between Harry and Neville seeing if either would dare make a response.

Neville suddenly found his toad very interesting, he held Trevor close to his face as he studied one of the toad's warts.

"I can jinx him if you'd like, Hermione." Said Harry absentmindedly, flipping to another page in slight frustration.

"You... What?" Hermione said, her cheeks slowly becoming red and now she found her shoes very interesting.

"I could jinx him. Make his toe nails grow long or maybe make him suddenly sport a mustache..."

Neville's gaze slowly became hard as the three suddenly found themselves sitting in silence. Hermione was blushing, unwilling to move her gaze from the windows.

Harry felt Sirius wrap his arms around him in a bone crushing hug. "Ah, here is my Godson. I thought I had misplace you months ago! But here you are again." Said Sirius happily, a large smile on his face.

"I take it you've had a nice year so far, Sirius." Said began, glancing at the students staring and pointing at the two of them.

"The best! Got myself a seat on the Wizenmagot. Ol' Malfoy is livid. Seats rarely open up and when you come so close to getting one for the first time... it can make you livid when you don't get it." Sirius said with a huge smile. "You just have to know the right people sometimes. It's all really political really."

"Is that why they are coming over for Christmas?" Harry said, nodding towards the Malfoy family. Draco was shaking hands with his father as his mother tried to casual glance in their direction.

"That? Oh... Yeah. I guess so. I wanna show off my shiny new position to tall, blonde, and balding." Sirius nodded his head in the direction the Malfoy's were in.

"Have a nice Christmas Harry." Said Padma Patil as she walked by with her twin sister.

"Oh... Girls already fighting to date you Harry? If you're lucky you picked up some of my charm. Your father only chased one girl his entire life. No fun if you ask me." Said Sirius as he put an arm on Harry's shoulder and led him off the platform. "Although he might have changed his mind if they were twins..."

Harry Potter awoke on December 25 to loud singing coming from downstairs. With a groan, Harry rolled out of bed and went down stairs. Sirius Black stood, singing with two house elves he had purchased over the school year, singing loudly and quite off key.

With a sigh, Harry took a seat on the couch. "I take it you are looking forward to dinner tonight, Sirius?" Harry called over the singing.

"Oh, of course. It's not often I get to have fun like this now days." Sirius stood taller and tried to have a serious look on his face, but the cocky grin he wore ruined the effect. "I'm all business now days. Changing the world and what not with important old farts who love to just to talk all day and that smell very much like rotten old cheese."

Harry smiled after a moment.

Sirius nodded as he went around the Christmas tree. "I think you've got a good haul this year. Pinky and Frug went ahead and put everything under the tree for us." he said excitedly, waving his hand in the direction to the presents and the two house elves.

"I still don't understand why we celebrate these muggle holidays. I mean, it made sense when you had us living like them. But now?" Harry shook his head slowly.

"Ah, old remnants of an old age. We wizards used to dress up in furs and sometimes nothing at all to dance naked throughout the night way back in the day... You know, when Dumbledore was a kid. More of celebrating the winter solstice than anything really. We never really bought into the Christian stuff like the rest of the Europeans. It was the muggle borns who first started questioning just what the hell we were doing and pointed out it was far too cold to go dancing in December, even though we'd cast spells to be fine in that type of weather. So slowly but surely, we started to celebrate Christmas as our people became intergrated." Sirius said, as he began to hand Harry presents to open.

"Over a period of time, our society actually became more conservative. I mean, looking at our robes you can see that they don't reveal a whole lot of skin. Muggles stumbled upon those parties a few times and started to believe we were worshipping some Lucifer fellow who damned muggles to an underworld of torment and pain. Wasn't too much longer after that, that the muggles figured they had to kill us to purify the lands from Lucifer's touch. It was shortly after that, that we began separating ourselves from the muggles. But hey, that's stuff for Binns to teach ya."

Harry nodded his head, determining that he would study all of this at another time.

"Happy Christmas, Sirius."

"Happy Christmas to you, Harry."

Harry was surprised to get a gift from not only Hermione Granger, but many of the other girls in his year. Both Patil sisters, Lavender Brown from Gryffindor, Su Li, and Susan Bones all gave him a gift. Only Hermione's gift was sensible. It was a book by a Gilderoy Lockhart called _Travels with Trolls._ Harry ran a finger down it's spine. An obnoxious man with bright yellow hair was jumping around the photo on the cover trying to grab Harry's attention. The rest of the gifts the girls got him were all a mixture of candy that Harry gave to the house elves.

Sirius got Harry a new set of qudditch pads. "Next time, you can ram a few players. Might get a penalty called on you, but it is totally worth it." Sirius winked at him as he spoke.

It was the last gift that Harry opened that was odd. It was parcel that was extremely light. Harry tore off the packaging. Something fluid and silvery gray fell to the floor softly.

Sirius was up in an instance, the silvery cloth in his hands. "Merlins beard... Old man did have it. Old dog should have given it to you ages ago..."

"Sirius... Is that an invisibility cloak?" Harry asked, staring at how Sirius hand's were missing from the rest of his body.

Sirius nodded and wrapped the cloak around himself. "Oh man, your father and I used to have such fun with this thing back in the day. Moony and..." The smile on Sirius face that had been growing faltered.

"Moony? Whose Moony?"

"Did it come with a note?" asked Sirius seriously, changing the topic.

Harry nodded and glanced at it. It was written in narrow, loopy writing that Harry had never seen before.

"_Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well. A Very Happy Christmas to you."_

Harry handed the note to Sirius as he took the cloak from his Godfather. Harry studied the cloak. "So this was my fathers?"

Sirius nodded as he read the note. "Dumbledore had it."

"Why would Professor Dumbledore have this if it was my fathers?"

"Another story, another time Harry." Sirius said mysteriously. The hard look on his face though, made it appear as if it were another mystery Sirius didn't like to elaborate on.

Several hours later and just as the sun began to set, a knock ranged out throughout the Black home. Sirius had Harry dressed in muggle clothes. Harry knew what Sirius was doing. Sirius was dressed in blue jeans and a white wife beater. Harry wore a bright green Hawaiian t-shirt with short khaki pants.

"Must we look the part of fools, Sirius?" Asked Harry slowly, as he looked down as his ensemble in disgust.

"Ah, but it's fun to play the part of the fool sometimes, Harry. It keeps people guessing just what you know or how much you know."

Harry let out a long sigh just as Sirius opened the door.

The Malfoy family, all three of them, walked into the parlor in elegant wizardry dress robes that Harry knew fit this occasion so much more. Sirius smiled at once seeing the look of shock and then the fire behind the Senior Malfoy's eyes.

"Ah, Lucius! What a pleasant surprise." Sirius moved and gave the Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father, a hug. The two men broke apart not even a second after the embrace.

"Yes... Invitations are often forgotten, I see. Also are the way in which one is to dress for these occasions." Lucius said with a sneer. Harry looked at Lucius and agreed with an observation Sirius had made earlier. Lucius looked very much like his son Draco. Each had bright platinum hair and dull gray eyes. The only true difference in their apperences was the fact that Draco's hair was cut shorter and slicked back; while his father's hair was beginning to thin in the front and his hair fell well below his shoulders as it were combed back.

"Aw, come now Lucius. I told you this was going to be informal." Sirus said as he made to give his cousin a hug as well.

"Be that as it may, Black, there is a certain courtesy..." began Lucius.

"And this must be Draco Malfoy. Spitting image of his old man if I say so myself." Sirius said as he bent over far more than was necessary and pinched both of Draco's cheeks.

"I do hope you bathed before hand Sirius..." began Narcissa.

"This old dog always grooms himself, Cissy." said Sirius as he led them from the parlor and into the dining room.

Harry followed the group with a sigh. He would rather have been finishing the book Hermione had given him. The author was a complete idiot, Harry realized two pages in, but Harry supposed it was a joke Hermione was sharing with him.

"You know, I was talking to Fudge just the other day about this cauldron thickness nonsense that they are trying to push through legislation the other day..." said Sirius.

"Is this your home, Potter?" asked Draco quietly, he also hung back behind the adults and was casually looking around.

"Yes. Sirius and I have lived here for as long as I can remember. I believe that he made a reference to it being a family home." said Harry as he watched Sirius begin to talk about cauldron thickness with Lucius and Narcissa.

"Reeks of muggles." spat Draco in disgust.

"I think that is what Sirius wanted." said Harry in a bored tone.

The amount of food that ended up on the kitchen table was a surprise. It was enough to rival the amount that was put on the entire house of Ravenclaw's table in the Great Hall. It was unlike and dinner he had his entire life with Sirius. Italian Pizza, fried chicken in buckets, hamburgers in plastic wrappers, and tacos filled the table to its brim.

"Quite the feast you've prepared Sirius..." Began Lucius as he eyed the food that was completely alien to him.

"Indeed... Just where did you find all of these... varieties?" Said Narcissa slowly.

"Ah, muggle fast food food. Only place I like to eat now days. Muggles might not know their magic but food... The things they do with the spices are truly magical!" said Sirius happily, taking the seat at the head of the table.

The Malfoy's all looked at the food with disdain.

"You mean this food was touched by _muggles_?" said Draco with a high pitch in his voice.

"It was and it is rather delicious if it matters." said Harry as he took a slice of pizza and put it onto his plate. Sirius had grabbed a bucket of chicken and was putting pieces on his plate.

Lucius let out a long sigh and closed his eyes.

"So, why exactly are you sitting at this table Mr. Malfoy?" Asked Harry before he took a bite out of the pizza slice.

Lucius opened his eyes and glanced at his wife before answering. "Your godfather is holding up a piece of litigation I'd like to see passed. He is the hold out vote making sure that cauldron thickness is not mandated."

"Why don't you want it mandated, sir?" asked Harry.

"The Malfoy family owns the largest supplier of cauldrons in Europe... Lets just say its cutting down the cost and allowing us to drive up the price." said Lucius. He looked at the food for a moment longer before he reached across the table and grabbed a hamburger that was wrapped in paper.

Draco watched his father, his jaw opening from shock.

Lucius unwrapped the hamburger and put it on his plate. He studied it for a moment as Harry and Sirius continued eating. After another moment of hesitation, Lucius snatched the burger and took a small bite out of it.

"FATHER? Just what are you doing?" Asked Draco, who raised his voice in shock and stood up, knocking over his chair.

Lucius carefully chewed the food before answering. "Making sure we have a very profitable fourth quarter."

"But father, you just ate food that was touched by a..."

"By a muggle, yes. Sirius agreed to vote for the measure to pass if we partake in a family outing." Said Lucius slowly.

Narcissa sighed. "Come now Draco... It's not the end of the world."

"But.." began Draco.

"Now, I apologize if I'm wrong Draco... But I believe that your father sees the benefits here. _You-Know-Who_ is gone. The days of pure blood dominance are over." Sirius began, "Try as our ancestors might, they never could figure out just where magic comes from. It does tend to depend on the right circumstances in the parents. But all the testing done does not show where. So, coming from a muggle family only had drawbacks in a few aspects."

Narcissa let out a long sigh before she grabbed a piece of pizza and also began eating it quietly, nibbling on it as if she believed it would make her sick if she consumed too much.

"The muggles stole the magic." Draco said, now also looking at his mother in disbelieve.

"How Draco?" Said Sirius calmly. "The entire theory that muggles stole magic has little credence. Many wizards and witches like to forget about some of their ancestors dark transgressions."

"Dark transgressions?" asked Harry.

"Male ancestors used to simply take muggle women and have their way with them. The filthy muggle women would later find out they were pregnant and _voila_! A new muggle born appears being accused of stealing magic." said Lucius, looking at Harry.

"The women of course knew it was happening but did little to make sure their men behaved as gentlemen. It was a darker time back then." Said Narcissa, who was know eying her husband.

"So you are saying we are related to muggleborns?" asked Draco frightfully.

"Yes and no. There are occasions where it happens naturally. Sometimes there is a squib who is born and forgotten about. Their family line will later have magical children after a few generations." said Narcissa. "Only families like ours, who have worked their entire lives to ensure that our line is never tainted can claim that we have not done harm to our society. Our family has always been strictly against muggle and wizard sexual relations."

"That is why, putting stock in blood, is kinda pointless." Sirius said.

"Sirius is, of course, wrong there." Began Lucius, "Since our blood is more pure we are more likely to have magical children. Having relations with muggles lowers that chance."

"Which still doesn't account for the fact that there are pure-blooded families that have children who are squibs." Sirius answered back.

Sirius sighed as he took a seat an hour later. "Well, that was fun! I think the balding Malfoy really took a liking to that fried chicken near the end." Sirius said with a huge grin growing on his face.

"I suspect you wanted to have that conversation with Draco... Didn't you Sirius?" Harry said as he took a seat on the floor.

"Yes... I was always a little off growing up. When I was on the train to Hogwarts your Dad told me the same thing more or less... Except I was saying pretty much verbatim what Lucius was saying. Potters were always a little off in the pure-blood circles. The first time I saw your father he was eating a bag of gummy worms... Only years later did we jinx a few to attack Snivellus."


	15. Book1 Chap15 The Mirror of Erised

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Copy Righted materials that fall under that domain.

**AN: **I kind of wanted this chapter to be longer, but saw the only way of doing that was to combine it with others... So instead I left it rather short since I like the Mirror so much.

_How different would Harry Potter's story turn out by the change of a single decision? How important is it for Harry to have a role model? This is a darker Wizarding universe than was imagined by J.K. Rowling._

**Chapter 14 – The Mirror of Erised**

Harry Potter sat in the Hogwarts Library, staring at the Restricted Section openly. Padma sat across from him with Lisa Turpin. The students of Hogwarts returned to their school from the Christmas holiday's without any pivotal events occurring. It was in the news on the morning ride back to school that the legislation concerning cauldron thickness had passed mandating that cauldron thickness should not be regulated.

"Did you have a nice holiday Harry?" asked Padma.

"Oh. Um. Yes. Quite nice. Draco and his parents came over for dinner." said Harry absentmindedly.

"The Malfoys? Why would you want them as guests?" Asked Padma as she scrunched up her face as if she had tasted something disgusting.

"My godfather and Lucius Malfoy had business to discuss. That, and they are related."

"I don't like Malfoy... He's mean..." Said Lisa quietly.

Harry glanced at her briefly before turning his attention back to the restricted section. "Just part of his upbringing."

"Did you get my present Harry?" Padma asked excitedly.

"The candy? On yes... Thank you. I'm afraid Sirius ate it all before I got a chance to." Harry said slowly, without looking at Padma.

It was the first day they were back and Harry was planning. It would be tonight. No reason to delay it. He would get into the restricted section and see what treasures it held.

Harry Potter broke not only one rule, but almost every rule he could in one night. Wrapping the cloak around himself tightly, he rushed off into the night invisble. The fire in the common room was smoldering, the final log having long been burnt up and was now only in embers.

Harry walked quietly through the castle marking how different it was at night. Some hallways were incredibly dark while others were bathed in moon light. Every where, it looked like shadows moved on their own accord. Even the ghosts of Hogwarts seemed more sinister is they seemed to glow whenever they were in the dark.

The library was pitch dark. Pulling out his wand, Harry said, "_Lumos_." and the tip of his wand burst into a luminous white light.

Moving quickly, Harry ducked under the rope of the restricted section and he smiled.

Running a finger along the spines of the books, Harry read every title as best he could to see which ones caught his interest. Some of the books were so old and tattered that the covers were peeling. Some whispered to him while others were hot to the touch. It was as if they knew that he was here... and that he wanted to open their secrets.

Harry marveled at the entire section. It was broken up into sections within itself. There were the Dark Arts which held well over a hundred titles. There was a section devoted to magical beasts that were more graphic than was recommended for a textbook for children. A section on the most illegal and dangerous potions to brew. A section devoted to rune magic was actually a set of stone tablets set up on display. The magical theory section was relatively small, less than a dozen books concerning the inner workings of magic. These were no simple spell books. These were grimoire's of knowledge.

Harry finally decided to take a few books with him for light browsing. The first book he grabbed had a brown cover with what appeared to be a horrible blood stain across it's spine. It was titled _Blood Magic: Practical Uses In Everyday Life._

The next title that grabbed his attention was on the bottom shelf. It was large black and silver book. It was lodged in between two other books, apparently a part of a three part set. Pulling with all his strength at first, it refused to come off the shelf until Harry was about to give up. With one more pull, the book flew off of the shelf and hit the ground and then fell silent for a moment.

With a bang, the giant book flew open on its own occurred. Pages began turning rapidly until at last it was opened to a blank page. Harry studied it quietly, waiting for something to happen.

A piercing, bloodcurdling scream broke the silence of the library. Cursing, Harry slammed the book shut and jammed it back into it's place on the bottom shelf. But it didn't stop. It was of a higher pitch that Hermione's frightful scream but just as adrenalin pumping.

Cursing again as he heard the doors to the library bang open, Harry turned to run and canceled the spell on the tip of his wand. Ducking under the rope to the Restricted Section, Harry rushed passed the caretaker Argus Filch. Filch's eyes were wide and frightful as Harry rushed pass, the caretakers attention was on the screams.

Clinging the brown book based on blood magic to his chest, Harry ran without regard to the noise he made. He finally came to a slow stop, slightly winded. Looking down the corridor, he heard two voices approaching.

"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night. Someone's been in the library... Restricted Section."

Harry let out a soft sigh of frustration. Filch must know every shortcut in the bloody castle.

It was Professor Snape who replied, "Restricted Section? Well, they can't have gotten very far. We'll catch them."

Harry moved as quietly as he could into an empty classroom before they could walk pass him. He was invisible, but still solid and knew that bumping into the two adults would be disastrous.

The classroom was one he had never been in before, which wasn't surprising as Hogwarts was huge with doors that led no where and passages that never made sense. But this classroom was slightly off from every classroom he had been in. He felt as if there was a great pressure on his mind, that something unsettling laid in the room.

The desks and chairs were all stacked in one side of the room. But it was the mirror that made the feeling that Harry felt.

It was perhaps the most magnificent mirror Harry had ever seen. It was as high as the ceiling, with ornate gold framing. An inscription was carved all along it's frame, constantly never ending as if it never ended and would go on and on. _Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi._

Harry moved to in front of the mirror, marveling at the craftsmanship. It was as he drew nearer, that he saw a shape behind where he should be if he were visible.

Turning quickly, wand raised, he saw that there was no one behind me. But then, he turned back to the mirror and it was there. A dark shadow that seemed to be hovering just behind him, always with him as if it were destiny that was nearly within grasp but always just outside of reach.

Harry narrowed his eyes at the mirror and then stared at the inscription again. "I show not your face but your heart's desire..." Harry read out loud.

Throwing off the cloak, Harry moved to in front of the mirror, his curiosity getting the best of him.

Harry was older. Much older. At least in his thirties in his reflection. His reflection held up his wand, idly twirling it in between his fingers with confidence. There was blood splattered all against his robes and face though, as if it were splattered onto his face from a distance. At once, Harry knew it was not his own blood but another person's blood. Harry stared at this older version of himself. _It is in your heart's desire, to be a killer_.

Two shapes stepped into the mirror, smiling at him. The one on the right was almost the spitting image of himself, only with different eyes. The women in the reflection had red hair and green eyes. His eyes. Harry knew them instantly. "Hmm... My parents... Very curious."

Harry glanced behind himself, but he saw nothing. Turning back to the mirror his parents stood just behind him, smiling at him still.

Harry hesitated for only a mere moment before he took a seat in front of the mirror and stared into it.

Harry yawned loudly as he sat in class. He kept glancing up at the clock. The mirror was fascinating. So fascinating he had forgotten to head back to bed the previous night and still had not slept. He felt irritated and simply wanted to go back to the mirror.

"Harry, are you sure you are alright?" Asked Hermione. She was clearly worried about him, and kept asking him the same question.

"Just tired is all." Harry said irritably. This stupid charm spell was simple. _Why must Professor Flitwick always give tedious work when there are more important things to do. _

Neville eyed the two of them before scrunching his face up in concentration. Flicking his wand at the match in front of him, the match's end caught on fire. Neville smiled; he had succeeded. He looked at Hermione to see if he got her approval.

But Hermione continued to glance at Harry for the rest of class, never looking at Neville or the fact he had mastered a new spell.

Harry walked briskly from Charms to the classroom. He panicked at first when he thought he couldn't find it, but he had simply entered the wrong classroom at first. He let out a long sigh of relief as he pulled open the correct classroom door.

Marching back to the mirror, he propped himself down in front of it again. Harry stared into the mirror seeing the older version of himself stand, holding his wand in a battle stance. It flicked its wand at various shadows in the room, causing them to fall over and to form human shapes on the ground at Harry's feet. Blood would splatter onto his face occasionally. The entire time his parents stood behind him, smiling and nodding in approval.

"Harry, what are you doing?"

Harry spun his head around to see Hermione standing in the door way to the classroom. He had been stupid. He never turned around and just got up and bolted at the end of class. He should have known Hermione would have followed.

"Go away, Hermione." Harry said irritably as he turned to look back into the mirror.

"Harry, you have me worried. I want you to... _What is this mirror_?" Hermione asked, taking deep breaths as she moved to be beside Harry. As soon as she was in front of the mirror, her breath became laborious.

"It's a mirror that shows you your hearts desire." Harry said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. The image of his parents nodded at him, as if it were in approval again at showing knowledge.

"My... Oh... Interesting." Hermione said slowly, as if she were lost for words. She looked at the mirror. Blushing, she glanced at Harry briefly and then back at the image. "What do you see Harry?"

Harry hesitated for a moment, weighing his options and how much he should share. "My parents."

"I... I see myself as head girl. I've written my own book and there are our children running around us." She said, smiling.

"Why would there be children running around us?" Harry asked, not paying any attention to Hermione as the Harry in the mirror flicked his wand, as if he were blasting away one of these so called children.

Hermione shook her said, her blush deepening to a dark crimson. "I mean... There are children running around us. Like me and you. In the mirror they are trying not to step on you." she said quickly.

Hermione took a seat next to Harry and did not say another word.

It was hours later that Harry and Hermione remembered that they were hungry. They made it just in time to catch the tale end of dinner. Harry grabbed only a small piece of pie before he went back to the mirror. It was just as he left it.

"Back again, Harry?"

Harry had just reclaimed his seat in front of the mirror when the voice broke the silence. Turning to look behind him, he saw Professor Dumbledore casually sitting on one of the desks pushed against the wall. Harry knew he was caught. He had walked right past the Professor without spotting the old wizard. Again, he felt stupid for not looking around.

"Yes... The mirror is truly fascinating." Harry said, turning back to look into the mirror. His reflection gave the Headmaster a hard look.

Professor Dumbledore moved from his seat on the desk to take a seat next to Harry on the floor. "It's quite easy to overlook people when you can be invisible."

Harry glanced at the Headmaster, only to see that the old wizard was smiling. Turning back to the mirror he stared at it.

"It's called the Mirror of Erised." said the old Headmaster, advancing the conversation forward.

"Poor choice in a name."

"Really? How so, Harry?" Asked Professor Dumbledore, sounding amused.

"Might as well call it the Mirror of Desire. It's much more simpler to pronounce and would help many people realize what it is initially without looking into it."

"Desire... You are clever Harry. All of your teachers are saying that you are well advanced in your studies. Only Hermione Granger is able to compete with you most of the time."

"Hermione is smarter... I just get magic better." Harry said irritability.

"Yes... With aspirations to be head girl and a published author with many children no less."

"I suppose. I should have realized that some wizards or witchs could become invisible without the use of a cloak." Harry said, casting a casual glance at the headmaster before turning to look back into the mirror. _Old men ought not mettle..._

"You are, again, quite correct Harry Potter. In my old age I have found many useful spells. Why, just the other day a found a new way of sending messages over long distances."

"How much of the mirror is true Professor?" Asked Harry.

"It shows us our utmost desires Harry. It is all true. The happiest man in the world would look into this mirror and see himself just as he is. Sadly, we are so rarely ever truly happy." Dumbledore glanced into the mirror as his features grew slightly darker at doing so.

"What do you see professor?"

"Myself with a new pair of woolen socks." Professor Dumbledore said with a thin smile. Harry raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "Another holiday season has come and gone and I am still without a good pair. Every year, all everyone ever sends me are books. I'd love to get a good pair of woolen socks one year."

Harry smirked. "Nice answer, Professor."

"Thank you, Harry. No doubt Sirius has taught you how to be quite adept at being able to spot a liar. I am sorry to tell you that the Mirror of Erised will have a new home beginning tomorrow night. It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live."

Harry looked into the mirror. The older version of him had its wand out. It wasn't playing with it this time. But there was no way to deny it.

Harry's heart wanted him to kill. _How long can you dream about something before you attempt to make it a reality?_


End file.
